Kingdom of Isolation
by Zuyuri92
Summary: Lonely bookworm Elsa is imprisoned in a castle she's only heard of from stories. To save her friend, she must live with the monster of darkness in the crystal walls. Despite the unusual odds, she finds a beautiful heart within the beastly form of the man trapped with her.
1. Chapter 1: Morning Routines

Chapter 1: Morning Routines

 **The following fic is a crossover re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast**

 **Special thanks to my co-author CharmedSkye92 for helping out!**

The sun rose over the large stone wall that stood high over the small fjordside village of Krokus. The small homes with their peaked roofs and cozy wooden shutters were starting to stir as the dark sky lightened with the first rays of dawn. Ships were coming into the harbor to drop off their wares and sales. The flowers the kingdom was named for were just surfacing through the soil, their tips purple and yellow. The smells of fresh bread, cut flowers, fish just caught, and the pine trees that crested the very tops of the mountains.

Villagers were mingling through and thus began their rituals of the morning. Among them were two close friends. They had been close since childhood, listening to the stories told to them by one's doting nanny. Yet here they stood as young women, still side by side like little girls. It was always a pastime they both could enjoy, going into the village and seeing the fresh wares.

Anna was the younger of the two. Her ginger braids and bright teal-tinted eyes were as bright and warm as the summer season that Krokus was so far from. Yet everything from the half-skip in her step to the way she smiled and greeted everyone with a wave or how she slid down town stairwells was full of youthful energy. It was a wonder how the other girl kept up with her.

Elsa was three years older than Anna, and if Anna was the bright happy sun, then Elsa was the solemn moon. Her hair was platinum blonde, almost white. The style was expertly pulled into a bun with milkmaid braids flanking her ears. Her eyes, as blue as the harbor, were shrewd with scholarly knowledge but deep down, an insecurity about the world.

They had lived since they were children, having met through parental acquaintanceship. Anna's parents were travel writers, sailing the seas to fill their journals with wonderful pictures and tales of what lay beyond the mountain and the harbor. Elsa's father had been a wealthy merchant with ships sailing to different points throughout the world. Tragedy had befallen the latter. He, along with Elsa's mother, were lost at sea when one of his ships, the Corona, was sunk in a fierce winter storm. It had been three years from the present. Elsa still resided in the empty manor on the outskirts of the village, and Anna stayed with her nanny while her own parents continued to sail, sending mail with varying tokens of travel such as an unusual shell or the feather of an exotic bird. They weren't as grandiose as the oriental bowls or thick leather bound books Elsa's family had gifted her with, but they provided a sense of wonder to keep one from falling into a pit of mourning.

"Can I at least pull you in the big dance?" Anna begged. "It's so depressing watching you sit on the sidelines."

"I'll be fine," Elsa held up a hand and gave a small smile. "Besides, you no I have two left feet. I'd make one step and everyone would fall."

Anna groaned. "Elsa, we've got to get you someone to talk to besides me."

"I talk to people!" Elsa objected. "I say hello to everyone we stop by to every morning." On cue, the flower shop owner came out with her arms filled with spring time blooms. She waved, which prompted a small wave from Elsa and an exhuberent almost cartwheelish one from Anna. "Hello!" both women chorused to the brown haired, green eyed shopkeep.

Anna put her hands on her hips as they walked away. "That's different! You can't just live behind a closed door for the rest of your life!"

Elsa looked away. Her closest friend meant well, but at times she could become unintentionally invasive of her life. So, she preferred books and tea over her friends' idea of twirling around with a silk ribbon and draping herself to catch the attention of someone. Her gaze shifted up towards the mountains. For all she knew, the trolls Anna's nanny always spoke about were up there, along with their unusual magic. Stories echoed like someone calling out secrets in an empty cave. The echo would reverberate, sometimes changing how a story was told, or some times, the story would stay the same.

"…High in the mountains, where no footprints can be traced…"

Elsa's ears perked up. She was so used to hearing this particular tale be told to her by Anna's nanny with her voice cracked from aging. This story was being enthusiastically shared by a younger storyteller. Children were flocking to the colorful tablecloth spread out as the storyteller sat on a chair, hands waving as if casting some enchantment with his words.

"A castle stands proud and tall. Its bowers were carved from the crystals growing in the mountainside, looking remarkably like ice. Some times at the break of dawn, the sun catches the light, making it glitter against the dark stones. The castle has wings and countless rooms, and gardens flourishing in an eternal summer. Yet its lone inhabitant is not a human."

"So, who lives up there?" A child raised his hand.

The storyteller stroked his beard thoughtfully. "No one knows if he was born with his appearance or cursed. He stands like a man, but he is as strong as a bear and armed with claws and fangs that are just as sharp. The one thing they can agree on is darkness swarms around him like a black fire. Some times, you can hear his roars of rage reverberate through the mountains."

That had been the part of the story Elsa always hated hearing, even as a child. She pictured a hulking monster letting loose black fire with a howl. But even yelling didn't quench its desire to wreak havoc and attack. It had led to many nightmares for her where that monster would lunge for her.

"Has anyone tried to confront the monster?" another child asked.

"They say if enough light was shone, it would banish the darkness for good…"

Someone next to Elsa coughed, with a disdainful 'ridiculous' being masked amid the cough. She turned, startled by the voice, completely forgetting stories of monsters living in castles carved from crystal. Upon seeing the naysayer, Elsa's entire blood ran cold. Of the people in Krokus, none rubbed her the wrong way quite so much as Hans Wintergaard.

Hans was from a village south of Krokus. According to him, it was home to the warmest beaches and finest perfumes. He worked as a stablehand for hire, and with all the polish he put on, besides his boots, he could have been confused for a prince. His auburn hair was smoothed back, highlighting his hazel eyes. Almost every girl, save Elsa, was charmed by his outward appearance. Even Anna was smitten. In a little girl who found her first crush kind of way.

"Good morning, Elsa. Anna." Hans grinned at him.

"…Hello," Elsa responded in kind.

"Fancy seeing you here," Anna's smile was big. Despite the redhead grinning at him, he was staring at the blonde. Anna cleared her throat, stepping beside her friend. "So…how goes your morning?"

Hans dusted the front of his vest. "Well, the horses owned by the Corona family are properly shoed. I was about to check on your reindeer." By reindeer, he meant Sven. Sven had been a yearling when Anna had saved him from freezing one winter. The two made a connection thereafter and he would sometimes break out of his pen and follow Anna and Elsa like a well trained dog. Hans would groom the lovable steed when time came. Or when Anna batted her eyes enough.

"Oh, well, he's where he usually is," Anna stammered, playing with her skirt. "By that, I mean, he's not going after us."

"Anna forgot her carrots," Elsa chimed in with a forced smile.

Hans laughed, "Well, good."

Elsa glanced back towards the main part of the village. She wanted to stay by the storyteller and listen again. Yet errands were calling her. Errands she'd make on a whim, but still anything was better than the company of someone that disrespected her stories.

"I'll, uh leave you two to chat," Elsa stepped back. "I, um, have to go pick up some lefse from the baker."

"Oh, Elsa!" Hans called after her. "If you aren't doing anything tonight…"

Elsa hesitated. No. She wasn't doing anything. Yet something about Hans rubbed her the wrong way. She couldn't quite place it, yet being rude wasn't an option. Especially not if Anna was making goo goo eyes at him. Well, her and several other girls in Krokus. She folded her hands over her skirt, plucking at the powder blue cotton. "I'm afraid my father's will needs to be studied before I send it off. It'll be dreadfully boring, I assure you."

Hans shook his head. "Oh nonsense! We can make it a dinner date. I can bring the wine, you can make the…"

"No thank you." Elsa said with an edge in her voice. She locked eyes with him. "There are other fish in the sea. I suggest casting a wider net." Having said her piece, Elsa stepped away from him and Anna. She was skirting past the fishmonger when she paused. A few whispers were breaking out, and she knew they were whispers about her. The merchant's daughter who preferred life alone. The pale woman that could have passed as a ghost haunting the mansion. The ice queen who's heart was impossible to thaw.

Sometimes it was funny how just walking through the town by herself made Elsa realize how alone she was.


	2. Chapter 2: The Lavender Rose

Chapter 2: The Lavender Rose

Elsa hadn't been lying to Hans when she said she was looking over her father's will. It was a task she had put off for far enough. The candelabra burned overhead s she studied the parchment, a quill in one hand. Ink was dripping like black tears onto the wood, but she was too fixated on the report to pay it any heed. She was crossing out the names of various ships that she knew had been lost, be they sunken in ships or stolen by pirates or any sort of bad luck that seemed to come to sea vessels. Some hadn't even been heard of since her father's burials. She refused to cry, not whle looking over such an important paper. If there were any ships left, there could still be some money for her to live on. She wouldn't have to leave Krokus and become a recluse in the mountains. At the mercy of some strange ogre or bear-creature like the storyteller said

She lowered her pen. Why did she keep thinking about that story? And that storyteller in the village today? She shook her head. It was just childish wishing. Like saying someone could be awakened from a kiss from eternal slumber. She circled the name Moon Tear, which was the last known ship she had heard of. If she was still afloat, Moon Tear would be heading south, dropping off goods. She wrinkled her nose, not wanting to think of Hans being in the harbor at the time of the ship's arrival.

"Your father's gloves would never make a profit in the South," he had said to her snidely one day, when she had been kind enough to provide him an answer to her life. Elsa said nothing, but bit back a quip if women in the south even demanded the gloves.

She circled another ship name, and another. With him gone, she was now Queen of the Glove Empire. Even now, she still saw trunks filled to the brim with rows of satin gloves. Well, not for long. The will states specifically that unless Elsa chose not to take the mantle of the merchanting business, he could trade it off to a family friend.

After signing the will with her approval, Elsa search for a blank parchment. She had to write to this family friend. For her, going out in the world of being a merchant meant leaving the sanctuary of her private book nooks, of mornings in the plaza with Anna.

She glanced to the dressmaker's dummy sitting to one side. Cobwebs were staring to form along the stand from days of not being brought out and used. Scraps of green, yellow, and blue fabric were pinned lazily together in a knockoff design that hadn't quite come together. Dress designs had been her true passion. The Last thing she had truly sewn for herself had been the teal and black peasant dress with the simple rosemailing patterns. It was a dress she hadn't worn in a while come to think of it. Thoughts of passing the glove empire's torch along forgotten, Elsa marched to the white armoire. The fabrics and threads were organized by color, literal rainbows of potential. She pulled out a crystal blue brocade and admired it. She could try to sew this into a gown for a princess or a queen. But that would never come to pass. Besides, the blue reminded her of the satin her father loved to pick for her gloves. And how he made her model them for clients. The fabric had been smooth, soft and elegant, but it also made her hands sweat and itch. Frowning, Elsa folded the fabric and closed the door, sitting back at the desk to complete her paperwork and sign off the will, this time smirking as she signed off giving the glove industry to her father's partner.

"You gave the glove merchant status to _who_ now?" Anna exclaimed the next day. They were strolling through the marketplace, which was busier with fall harvest. Vendors were heckling customers or shoving samples under the noses of passerby, ranging from spiced apples to a sort of an orange mash concocted of pumpkins.

"Anna, I don't want to be known all my life as the glove lady," Elsa held up a hand. "Besides, the Fitzherberts were good friends of my father. The business is better in their hands."

Anna smiled. 'Speaking of gloves, after Hans came over to help with Sven," she lowered her voice in a whisper, "he still won't shut up about you by the way." Jealousy was coated on every word she said.

Elsa raised her hands up. "Anna, by all means, go and pursue him. I'm not interested in Hans, the self-proclaimed horse whisperer of the South."

"Well I'm glad you think so…"

Speak of the devil. Hans swooped around to catch Anna, who had gotten herself tangled along a stack of crates and casually caught her in one arm. Elsa pointedly ignored him, looking only at her friend. Anna's freckled face was bright red, clashing with her natural red hair. Anna was wincing as she massaged her heel while both Hans and Elsa snickered; probably the one thing she _would_ share in common with him was finding Anna's clumsy ways funny.

"Are you okay?" Elsa asked amid giggles.

"I'm…I'm fine!" Anna said hastily, still in the arms of the town hero.

Hans flashed a toothy grin at Anna, looping his arm off of her. The kind of smile that was teasing but had the slightest trace of malice in it. 'So, Elsa," he directed his attention to the blonde, with that same smile, "you decided not to pursue the family business I hear?"

"No. There are…other things I want to do besides count gloves."

Hans leaned closer. "Oh? And what might those things be?"

Elsa looked back to the mountain. Again. Something was up there, but she could not put her finger on what it exactly was. Was she looking for that crystal castle that housed a monster made from darkness? That was a fool's errand. Besides, even if she did believe it, talking Anna into going with her on a chase for a fictional beast was hopeless. She had heard tales of men who supposedly hunted dragons for a living. If there was a beast in the crystal palace, it was probably some bear that foraged the area for food. Yet every time she stared at the face of the fjord, or the very peaks of the mountains with the clouds hiding the tips, she kept wanting to scale the heights, away from what everyone wanted to be; the demure ice princess.

"Elsa?"

Hans' voice snapped her out of her daydream. She shook her head, shaking away thoughts of mountains and shadow monsters. "Oh. Sorry. Lost in thought. What were you saying?"

Hans cleared his throat. "Anna was telling me of her going to meet her family in the next village over. And I was wondering if, mayhaps, you needed a place to stay. Your father's manor seems so cold and dark. A change of scenery might snap you out of mourning…"

Elsa stiffened. In any other circumstance, she would have said yes to staying with someone that she knew taking her in. Yet this was Hans. The man had been pursuing her despite being told no over and over again, or not even taking the hints that Elsa wanted nothing to do with him. Being in the same house, let alone the same room, filled her with dread. It was a trap if she ever detected one. He'd pawn her off as his girlfriend or fiancé or whatever to impress the town.

"That's very kind of you," she said softly, "but I'm much more comfortable in the home my father built."

The light in Hans' eyes dimmed slightly. Even the edge of his smile drooped just the tiniest bit. Yet besides those changes, he didn't seem at all phased by the blunt refusal Elsa had given him. He cleared his throat. "Very well. But the offer will still stand if you get lonesome." Before he left, he produced two bouquets in a wizardlike fashion before bowing to the waist and disappearing into the crowds.

Anna was burying her nose in the bright yellow nosegay. Fitting for her sunny personality. Elsa looked long and hard at the selection he gave her. These flowers were pink lilies. She cringed. These were usually given by men who were looking for something beyond friendship. The perfume was lovely, the message was not.

As Elsa was tucking her lilies into a bush, Anna set her flowers aside. "So, Elsa, listen. I really am going up to the next to village my parents. And I know you like when I always brought you gifts. Is there anything in particular you want me to pick up for you? And don't say jewelry or dresses."

Elsa laughed. Anna's gifts ranged from kooky to sentimental. One year she had brought a pair of gloves resembling dragon feet. The year before, she had presented Elsa with a pendant depicting a mermaid resting on a pearl.

"Anna, this might sound strange, but…I want to start planting roses in my father's garden." The beds had been bare for the past few years. She remembered seeing the thorny sprouts a long time ago, but fierce winters had killed the hearty shrubs. In its place was a naked patch of dirt. Elsa had a black thumb, but maybe, just maybe, she could make roses bloom from a cutting. "Sort of a memorial for him, you know. That and loathe for me to say it, Hans is right. The house is bland without flowers."

Anna pursed her lips. "Roses? I think I might find something to help you get started. Give me a week."

A week turned into two, then three. The trip to the next village usually took one week at most. By the middle of the fourth week, Elsa's nerves got the better of her. Sitting and reading every book would not be what Anna wanted her to do. She threw on her purple cloak and stepped outside into the blowing fall wind. Yet even the harsh wind didn't keep people away from the village square.

As she entered the center of town, she saw a cartel selling fresh hot cider. Counting her wages made from a side business she started in the weeks of simple repairs, she had enough to purchase at least a glass. Her eyes glossed over. Anna would have enjoyed this. Sipping cider in the chill as everyone milled about, busy as could be.

"Ah, the spider has emerged from the web," Hans beamed.

"Hello, Hans." Elsa avoided looking at him, buying the cider and stepping away.

Despite making valuable time, he was back at her side. "I was wondering when you would get to needlework. I must say, the designs on the cloaks being worn now are stunning." He gestured to a group of people wearing the flower embroidered wool. "It's a good sign of a hardworking woman."

Elsa held up a hand. "I know what you're going to say, Hans. A hardworking woman makes a wonderful wife, and more importantly a beautiful mother." She sighed. "Hans. I have said this in every way I know how, but it's clear dancing around the issue isn't helping. So, I'll be frank; I don't want to marry you."

But before Hans could interject, people cried out and hooved rattled the streets. Snorts and brays echoed as Sven came charging in. Sven. That meant Anna was back! Enthused, Elsa charged towards the noise of the reindeer. But as she approached, she frowned. Sven was alone. He had saddlebags filled with goods, but there was no rider. Elsa stepped forward with Hans in tow. Sven calmed at the sight of his owner's friend. The braying quieted and he leaned a head to her to pet.

"Sven, where's Anna?" Elsa asked calmly.

That was when she saw it tucked in the folds of Sven's harness. When Elsa had asked Anna for a rose, she had expecting the blossom to be red or pink or white. This rose was a color she never thought existed. The half-blown flower was tipped pink at the edges with towards the center, where the petals caressed and folded into elegant layers, the hue was a soft purple.

"Where did she get this?" she asked. The broken stem was twirled in her hands. It had lasted perhaps a few days, still fresh. Even its perfume hadn't faded. Elsa grabbed a small napkin and dunked it in the town's fountain, wrapping the rose like it was a leg in need of splinting, and tucking it into the lapel of her black and teal dress.

Sven cantered to the side, showing his saddled back to her. Hiking up her skirts, Elsa mounted the reindeer. Her eyes flitted to the mountain. Anna must have been on her way back but was held up. She looked back at the rose and sniffed it again. Somehow Anna kept her word and got the rose to her. Now she was in trouble. The guilt slid down Elsa's heart in chilly trickles. Thanks to her, her friend was stuck. She had to set things right.

"Take me to Anna."

With that half whispered command, Sven charged out of the village square and up the main road. The road that side wound into the mountains, replacing steepled roofs with high stone peaks.


	3. Chapter 3: The Beast of Darkness

Elsa held her arm to face to shield herself from the driving winds. Sven had carried her so high up the mountains, that she had no idea where they were. What was all familiar to her had been replaced by shadows. The rocks were blurring to become one in the same. The trees were becoming on of the same style. The ground was coated in blankets of snow, which Elsa didn't realize looked so foreboding when pressed against the shade of trees. Beneath the powder with thick cracked sheets of ice. Sven had almost slipped on one such patch, which had nearly sent him down and her out into the snow. She was not dressed for this weather at all. Usually, she didn't mind the cold weather. Yet the wind was blowing through her very being. Her hair had become unbound, billowing in the breeze. She would worry about a hair tie later. Until she found Anna, there was nothing more for her to do.

The reindeer skidded to a halt. Grabbing the bridle, Elsa lurched forward. His ears were flicking towards large monoliths made of heavy boulders. Ice and snow combined to create thick jagged poles of ice. They were pointing in her direction, almost daring her to turn around and go home. Yet Elsa was not deterred. She dismounted the reindeer and began to kick at the longest ice spike closest to her It chipped away in small pieces. Her loafers were far different than heavy snow boots. Each crack was a sign of hope. If this thing was keeping Elsa from finding her best friend, she would have to fight through harsh weather to get to it. The ice fell and before it could shatter, Elsa grabbed it, wielding it like a sword.

She poked through the ice with her makeshift guide slash weapon. There was thankfully no flurry to blind her or get her lost. Yet that ice…it made her think it was a sign no one wanted her here. Did Anna come here to see what the fuss was about? It sounded like her. As she explored, a familiar set of tracks appeared in the time-crusted snow. They were tracks of a reindeer, pausing before…

A patch of thorns.

Elsa frowned. Anna's trail didn't seem to end at the thorns. If anything, she seemed to walk through as if she were an illusion of some kind. She ran for the brambles.

"Anna!"

She looked for any sign of her friend through the thorns. Was a part of her cloak snagged on a part of the branch? She used the icicle to lift up the thorns. A part of her feared finding her friends impaled or worse. There didn't appear to be signs of a struggle, so wherever Anna was, she was safe from the dangers of the forest. She dared to even reach in with her bare hands to try and pull the thorns out, almost uprooting them. Her hands became immediately scrapped and stabbed by the thick thorns from the bushes. She pulled them away, glaring at her crisscross scars, which were bright red. Elsa sighed, and stepped sideways towards the thorns.

Yet as she did, something happened. The bushes wriggled slightly, as if disturbed by a wind. Then, on either side, they bowed low. When they did, Anna's footprints were shown to have continued for the well hidden path. Elsa massaged her hands, a relieved smile and sigh escaping her lips on a waft of chilled breath. So Anna had gotten through the thorns. Wait…these weren't just thorns. Hanging by just a thin black stem was the withered remains of a rose. This was where Anna had gotten the rose for her.

Elsa sniffed the purple rose. A gift from Anna. A sign of her friend's desire to keep true. As she was moving forward, she heard Sven paw the ground. The reindeer was shaking his head and braying.

"It's all right," she said reassuringly, "I'm going to find Anna. We'll be back."

Elsa trudged past the thorn and rose bushes, stepping into…what she could only describe as a miracle. There was still snow on the ground, yet through the snow, she saw bright green shoots and plants that would have frozen over in the winter time. Even the fruit trees were still full of ripe produce. She traced her fingers lovingly across the plants, inhaling the smells of each blossom. The wanderings could have aken all day, until she paused.

An ornate staircase lay before her. It expanded from the base of a hill over a great abyss, separating the garden from the large fortess situated in a crevice among the mountains. From its blue coloration and pointed towers, Elsa thought the palace was carved from ice, but when she lay a hand on the handrail of the stairs, the chill she received was more like cold stone. Crystal. The entire stairwell was made of crystals. As was the castle itself.

"…It can't be…" she murmured to herself.

The doors were sealed shut, as she expected. In the stone, she made out indents. Some of them must have been natural deformities when the crystal came to the surface. Yet why were some in perfect repetition of the same pattern, of four thick grooves? Elsa traced one section of grooves. This must have been a bear trying to break in. It was the only explanation. Or perhaps an angry mob trying to mine the crystal and having no such luck? She sighed. Anna. Get Anna and go. That was why she was here. Her closed fist fell to rest on the door. For Anna. She gave the door three firm knocks. On the third knock, the doors opened. The blue halls would be explored later. Right now, she had to find Anna.

"Hello?" Elsa called as she stepped into the halls. The crystal's beauty was starting to wean on her. There was only so much she could take of staring at thick walls of stone. Her echo was the only answer. "Anna?" She rushed through the halls, continuing to call her friend's name. Again, she was only greeted with silence. Sometimes, for a brief moment, she swore she saw a shadow. But she shook her head. This had to be an elaborate joke someone set up for anyone that bought the fairy tale. Anna was not in the clutches of a shadowy monster…right?

"Anna? It's me, Elsa!"

A door opened to her left, making Elsa jump and brandish her melting icicle. Nothing. Just the wind. But the door did show exactly who she was looking for. Anna was lying on a partially frozen couch. Seeing furniture not made of crystal was offputting, but it did confirm that this place was inhabited. Or perhaps had been. Anna's seat was by a great roaring fire, her eyes vacant.

"Anna?!"

"Elsa!"

The two women embraced each other, one colder than the other. The icicle melted, becoming a puddle of water on the old rug. As they broke apart, Elsa stared at Anna for any signs of injury. The only thing she saw was a series of rips along her friend's cloak. Eerily similar to the grooves on the door.

"Were…were you caught too?" Anna asked shakily.

Elsa arched a brow. "Caught? Anna, I came here to find _you_."

Anna shook her head. "You need to get out of here Elsa, before he finds you."

"Who-?"

Just as quick as it came, the fire was extinguished with both water and a cold frost. Everything was engulfed in shadows that slowly filled everything in a void of blackness. A smell like wet stone wafted through the halls. Elsa pressed Anna behind her, looking around for the source. There were small thuds, and a slight scraping noise across the stone floor. Shadows were seeming to crawl in through the room. No…it couldn't be…this was just a story! Elsa shut her eyes, praying she was back in her bed. But no, someone was coming closer to her. All she heard were soft, husky breaths. It was too dark to see any facial features of the large hulking figure approaching from the doors. All she saw was a humped back, jagged with fur or possibly spikes. It easily towered over her, and that was when she assumed it was upright. Elsa reached for the icicle, only to meet cold water. Damn it.

The shadow was in front of them, the only signs of life being the rise and fall of the fur. Elsa bit her lip and stared levelly at the shadowed being.

"Who are you?" Elsa asked, hoping the shaking in her voice didn't come through.

"I could ask you the same question…" The creature's voice was male.

"What have you done to my friend? She's shaking like a leaf and…!" Elsa's glare became hard and unyielding. If he did so much as scratch her…

The creature gave a dismissive huff. "You're lucky that I didn't put her someplace worse."

Anna whispered in Elsa's ear, "All this because I picked a rose…"

Elsa's hand fell to her bodice. The rose. That's right. She pulled it from her lapel, smelling it one last time before staring back at the shadowy creation. If he was angry at Anna for picking a rose, he would have done something to harm her. Yet he had instead placed her by the fire. It was…inconsistent. How could a monster be so attached to flowers yet loathe anyone who dare touch them? She hated to know what happened to gardeners who sucked at their job.

"Besides the rose, what else did my friend do to you?"

"She ignored the visible warnings I set up," he huffed.

"What warnings?" Anna and Elsa echoed.

""Don't thorn bushes and sharp spikes tell you anything?" he growled. He was now incredibly close to Elsa's face. The shadows seemed to shift and the lights came in. And it was now here, literally face to face, she got a first glimpse of the castle's master.

The storyteller had not exaggerated about the Bear part. He towered over her with large muscles she swore could snap a tree. One arm held pieces of a destroyed gauntlet, hanging in sheets of metal, as if someone had tried to pry it on and failed. The face, once thinned, was filled thanks to an unkempt mane of dark brown hair that rippled from he cheeks to the base of the raised back. Then there were his eyes. Elsa has expected something akin to red or dark brown or even yellow. These eyes were blue. Yet she saw the rage and...something else. Shame perhaps? Perhaps that shred of humanity was what made him as terrifying as he was.

"Stay away! I'll..." Elsa continued to shield Anna and faltered. She had no weapons to defend herself from with. Something fell across his eyes and she had to look away. He was upset. But rather than stoke the angry fires already kindling, she shared a look with Anna. Elsa was one who asked for the rose. Anna didn't deserve the punishment of nearly dying just for picking from the wrong garden. She looked back at the glaring beast.

"It's my fault that the rose was picked. If you're that desperate for someone to lash out to, do it to me. Not her. Please." She pulled the rose from her dress. "I brought it with me. My friend's freedom in exchange for the rose.

There was a beat of silence. The rage filled glare in his face dwindled into confusion. A taloned hand reached for the blossom, and Elsa carefully returned it. He stared at the flower in silence, contemplating it, studying it. He asked finally, "Why?"

"...Why wouldn't I? She's my friend. Doesn't that mean anything to you?

His nose crinkled. "Friend... She'd sooner leave you here to take her place than offer herself up for you."

Elsa frowned. "It's called a sacrifice. And in case you haven't noticed, I'm doing that for her."

The creature shook his head. Gruffily, he marched for the door, the lights starting to flicker back and forth. "Fine. She can go." The darkness that clouded the area began to waft away like smoke from a candle. It was when he rounded the corner that Elsa settled back, her shaking hands coming to hold Anna and hug her.

"Sven is by the thorn bushes," she whispered to Anna. "When the storm passes, I'll catch up to you."

Anna's face furrowed. "But why send me away?"

Elsa looked long and hard at her friend's eyes. "You've been at that…thing's mercy long enough."

"Elsa, it's only been a day and a half. I was taken care of. I didn't hear them or see them, but something was looking out for me. Besides, the worse damage he did was too my cloak. I'm fine."

Elsa looked at the door from where the beast had shuffled off. So, he didn't hurt Elsa. Instead he just threw a hissy fit because she picked a flower. He could have locked her up in a dungeon, or maimed her, or done something horrible. Instead, she was thrown into a room like a child in time out. It was so…unusual. The blonde looked at the redhead in the eyes again. People would miss Anna. They wouldn't miss Elsa. It was the better pay off.

"Anna...just go. I'm staying here until this blizzard dies down. The rose was lovely, but…it belongs here."

Anna tried to object, but a look from Elsa shut her up. There was no arguing this time. They hugged again. Krokus was a few hours away along Sven's back. Anna would be home safe to get a hot meal and a warm bed. The redhead exited the castle with no one stopping her, mounted the reindeer waiting patiently, and rode away.

As for Elsa, she was now alone, at the mercy of a frustrated beast with a passion for darkness.


	4. Chapter 4: Elemental Servants

For the longest time, the palace was completely silent. Elsa stood at the damp logs where the fire had been. In its place was a neat little pile of ice. There was no way the beast put it out. The shadows and strange darkness had been in his control, not water and ice. Elsa smiled weakly. The ice princess, staring at ice. As she was about to pick up the matchbook to relight it, something began crackling and spreading.

Frost? But…but how? A male voice was whispering, and she knew it wasn't from her shady host. As she was sitting there, something picked at her hair. Unlike the frost, the wind here was warm. The warm breeze picked off a leaf before it seemingly disappeared.

On cue, the beast returned. The expression he wore was one of shame. Whether or not it was from hurting her friend or the way he acted or both, she couldn't say for certain. But it gave her a tiny bit of comfort that he could be reasoned with.

"I... would you like to see your room..."

Elsa blinked. Her _room_? This abandoned sitting area didn't count? Maybe he was a beast that buttered up prisoners before throwing them into cells. Or worse, pampered guests until he found them a perfect size for…whatever meal. Had Elsa not come to the castle, Anna might have been served on a plate. Literally. Keeping that in mind, Elsa decided to play along.

"…All right."

They walked in silence. From behind, Elsa could see he was in fact taller than her. He wasn't so giant that he skimmed the ceiling, yet the size was worth noting. He was standing upright, and she noted the broken gauntlet wasn't the only article of clothing he wore. Ragged remains of brown pants hugged his lower half, held in place by a black belt. He was walking with familiarity, unlike her, who was noting landmarks by the chandelier shape of crystalized archway or even a dent that could have been from one of his claws of a deformity in the stone prior.

"...So...how long have you been up here?" Elsa braved the first question.

"My whole life..." he beast growled under his breath. The low rumble beneath his words rebounded through the halls.

"Oh."

Elsa asked no more questions. He still had a temper; best to tread lightly. It was just a misunderstanding, Couldn't he let it go? She could understand all of this happening over an accidental murder, but picking a flower?

He opened a door to their right. The crystal walls were bare. A four post bed lined with rose colored sheets, which looked purple in the blue light, sat next to a large changing screen. A brown armoire flanked the screen. The other side of the bed housed a nightstand with a delicate bowl adorned with rosemailing and a pitcher filled with water. Next to it was something covered with a woolen blanket; she's check it later. Twin doors carved from crystal stood closed, but through the tinted panes Elsa could see a large, round curved balcony overlooking the mountains.

"You should be comfortable here..." her host mused.

Elsa placed a hand along the wood. He only cared for her comfort. He had probably done the same for Anna. If this was to be her cell, it was rather nice. Far more extravagant than her old room in her father's house. "I've always wanted a balcony...this is rather kind of you."

He looked away from her. Was he…embarrassed? "I guess..." he stammered.

She looked back. "I am…sorry about the rose thing. Anna meant well…"

"That doesn't mean you steal from others!"

The frustrated growl returned alongside his yell. Through his gritted teeth, she saw the gleaming points of his incisors and canines. With enough force, they could have snapped bone. The fur on his humped back began rising, and she saw small flashes of the black flame that appeared near him slowly pulse in one tightly clenched paw.

"I said I'm sorry!" She held up her hands defensively. The foot of the bed halted her movements.

"I-!"

"Be kind!" A youthful boy's voice piped up, interrupting his counterargument.

"You're not going to win her over with vinegar." A young but motherly voice scolded.

"I..." The beast wasn't addressing her. He was looking at some space between them. She tried to follow his line of sight, but there was no one there. She even reached forward, trying to feel some sort of mass. All that ran through her fingers was empty air. Were there ghosts in this place? The voices were silent after they said their piece, but whoever they were, he seemed to respond to him. He released a deep, growling breath. "I lost my temper... I am..." he grumbled the last word, "sorry..." There was a slow sigh and his large frame deflated. "I'll... leave you to get comfortable."

"Thank you."

After the beast shuffled out, Elsa approached the door. She watched as he slumped away. He wasn't turning back, not even bothering with other greetings or sayings. The blackness was gone. It had been since those voices intervened. She looked down at the silver handled knob and shut the door behind her.

"Well that went about as well as an avalanche."

A female voice, a bit younger and tougher sounding than the other, was bubbling from the pitcher. Elsa stared long and hard. So, she wasn't just hearing things. The voices were still here.

"What do you expect?" the younger boy asked. With his call came a warm breeze. "He didn't have good manners even before..."

"He was making an effort this time though!" the girl objected.

"Well, duh!" Along the window, traveling through the crystal floors, appeared a small trail of frost. This voice was male, too, but seemed to be a middle age range between the younger and older voices. "That last girl picked one of the roses!"

"But she's so frightened..." the motherly woman murmured. Her voice was coming from the pitcher like the younger girl.

"He's not helping himself by being a grump." The younger boy muttered.

"We should lift her spirits." The boy in the frost said.

"With what, Jack? A show number with dancing plates! We kind of can't!" the younger girl objected.

Elsa was a silent person amid their arguing. Just as she was about to ask who they were, a slight breeze, brushed the top of her hair. It continued to travel down, as if it were trying to readjust her cloak. Another touch reminded her of a friendly hand. Well, if they were ghosts, she was grateful they were the friendly, playful kind and not the vindictive ones that lashed out or murdered people in their sleep.

"Who…who's there?" she stammered, pulling her cloak tighter.

The wind stopped. "Can... can you hear me?" the younger boy asked.

Elsa nodded before answering. "Yes. Yes, I can!"

The boy sounded thrilled. "Really? That's amazing!"

"The other girl couldn't hear us," the motherly girl sounded dismal but there was a shred of hope.

Suddenly, the whole room began to be blown around. The sheet that had been covering the item in the back was lifted and tossed carelessly to the floor. She heard laughter from both male apparitions. The one that seemed to be attuned to the ice was making playful images on the windows. "Who cares?" said the younger boy, "Someone can hear us!"

Elsa came to the frosted window to pick up the sheet. As she approached, she saw what it had been covering. A full length mirror. Oh. Of course it was covered. The beast had made no qualms about his appearance, yet this betrayed his true feelings. At least the looking glass wasn't splintered. Next to her reflection, she was able to make outlines of individuals. The air spirits were both young boys, possibly teenagers. The younger, pluckier one had spiky golden hair while his companion was thinner with unkempt white hair.

"What happened to you?" Elsa asked the reflection visions. "What do you mean Anna couldn't hear you?

"There's a curse on the castle but I'm afraid we can't say any more than that..." the motherly woman said regretfully. Elsa didn't see her reflected.

"Not sure why the other girl couldn't hear us," the blonde shrugged, "I was being really loud."

"You can say that again," the white haired boy rolled his eyes.

"So this place isn't just a prison for...him?" Elsa stepped away from the mirror. By addressing all of them and not just their images in the mirror, maybe she could find common ground.

"You meant the master..." the blonde said. "He stays up here because it's not safe for him to go to the village." There was no mention of which village. Krokus was close, but there were other towns on the other side of the mountain. Anna had been coming back from one, after all. One that was probably even closer than Krokus.

"We're the ones who can't truly leave," the motherly voice lamented.

Elsa looked to the balcony. The white haired boy had frosted everything over, so she couldn't see the grounds anymore. But she did remember everything being barred. The garden itself had been protected by two varying spikes. Rose bushes and ice spikes...it served a double purpose, of keeping strangers out, but also…keeping him in. This master probably knew the extent of his own rage, and as such…

"All those spikes were his idea," the spunky girl said from the water pitcher, "But like Aqua said, we're sort of stuck in these states." Aqua must have been the motherly voice. At least Elsa could start giving these guides names.

Aqua gave a sad sigh, "He didn't want to leave us. Even if he lost his senses sometimes..."

"Don't let him scare you," the blonde boy said reassuringly. "He doesn't mean most of that growling."

Elsa's brow furrowed, "But why punish you? You did nothing."

There was a pregnant pause. The frosted boy spoke first, but he was dodging her remark entirely. "I suggest trying to rest. Don't worry, we'll be around."

"We would tell you if we could. Really. But we can't." Aqua sounded apologetic.

"There's always one of those rules," Elsa said. She opened the armoire and pulled out a thick, cotton night shift, going behind the privacy screen. Having seen two spirits, she knew they had eyes. The curtains fell over the windows and balcony doors with the soft wind. As Elsa was pulling back the bedclothes, she had to stop to admire the needlework along the edges. The star shapes were expertly sewn. One of the richer textile merchants had sold it to the master.

"Before you sleep... what is your name?" Aqua asked.

Well, she had to trust some people in this castle. This master was well meaning, but it what clear whatever dark powers he held were twisting him. These spirits were unphased by this darkness it seemed. Hopefully, it wouldn't affect them.

"My name is Elsa."

"Sleep well Elsa. You'll be safe here."

The boys blew out the sources of light in the room, leaving Elsa to curl into a dreamless sleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Wake Up Call

At first, Elsa thought she was dreaming. Or was back home in Krokus. A rich, flowery smell of tea was wafting though her nose. When she did make tea? Had she done it while still half awake? But in the blur, she didn't recognize the walls. When did she paint them crystal blue? Why were they so bare? As she sat up, she remembered. The crystal palace. The beast with power over darkness. She agreed to stay until the storm died down. He had given her a room to rest. Now she was waking up to a small tray laden with a small piece of toasted bread and a cup of fresh hot tea. The elemental spirits must have fixed it for her. At least they didn't want her to starve. She ate quickly and ran to the armoire. If she was making plans to go back, she needed to dress properly.

Elsa pulled the curtains apart and frowned. The flurry was still raging. The wind had stopped howling, but with how intense the driving snow was, escape was not going to happen. Not today. Especially not with the balcony and thorn bushes below. She didn't want to die that way.

She just had to worry about the wrath the beast had in store for her. The elementals had stopped his rage. How long would their power last? Was this…gentlemanly approach a strategy he had to lull innocent travelers to their deaths? She had only seen parts of the castle after all. After grumbling to herself, Elsa decided on a long sleeved vest over a pale blue blouse and a skirt a few shades darker. She brushed her hair and tightened it back into a bun. This would have to do.

The doors opened without any sound. She tried to listen for the boys along the wind, as well as Aqua and the other feisty water girl. Yet there was no sound at all. She shut the door behind her and began tracing one hand on the left side. It was a tactic Anna and her used when exploring the market. If one kept notice of things on the left side, it would be easier to get back. She passed by a window seat where a pillow had been shredded into scraps and piles of down feathers. The beast must have found some way to get out his aggression on something that wasn't her. There were even claw marks in the small bench that made up the window seat.

Just as Elsa rounded a corner, she saw him. He was low to the ground in a stalking position. Upon seeing her, his heckles rose. Yet the aggression disappeared and recognition came over him. He brought himself back upright, avoiding her gaze.

"Morning," she said as calm as one could be.

The beast stammered slightly. "I... did you sleep well?"

"Yes. And you?

A paw came to the back of his mane. It was the human equivalent of rubbing the back of one's neck. "I... don't sleep much."

"Oh. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed."

The beast shook his head. "You wouldn't know... You... are... new here..."

Elsa played with her fingers. It had been a habit when she was anxious or nervous. The tips of her fingers rubbed against them, filling her with warmth to drive away the jittering. He was…calmer today, No need to walk the razor's edge. " So...what does your normal routine consist of?"

"I... don't really have one," he admitted. "I try to keep things open so I don't... get bored." That made sense. It would be boring without elemental servants. Speaking of which, apart from the breakfast tray, they had been silent. Was this part of…whatever happened? The beast made a strange noise like an awkwardly stifled cough, "Is there something you'd like to do or see?" He was pointedly avoiding her eyes.

Elsa glanced up at the seemingly endless tangle of stairs. Where did one lead? Where did another one go? Having a guide would be nice. Besides, being kind to others warranted kindness in return. "You know it'd be nice having someone show me around."

He was uncomfortably stiff, yet he gave a heavy headed nod. "This way..." His claws scrapped along the floors. The sound was worse because of its echo. Elsa's own footfalls added a rhythm to the scratching. She kept her gaze along the crystalline walls. It still amazed her how someone could take a large rock to create such a beautiful place. Was the beast insulted by it? That his "cage", so to speak, was a place so pristine and elegant? "I'm sorry. I don't have... guests... often," he said.

"You don't have to apologize. I did plenty of that," her grin was a bit too wide.

His muzzle fell into a deep set frown. Almost a pout. His mane swished with his shaking head. A paw was held out. It was here she saw her had led her to the entrance. The stairs flanked on opposite sides from the landing they were standing on. The doors practically dwarfed everything. The pillars here were more crackled but filtered light through. A large lone crystal sat in a skylight, sending shoots of light through the rest of the hall.

"Well, this is the front entrance..."

Elsa stared at the skylight, following its point to the doors and to the center. "It's incredible..."

"I suppose." Clearly he was not as impressed as she was.

At the small gap beneath the landing, Elsa saw what appeared to be a fountain. Yet the water wasn't flowing. It was staying where it hovered, falling in small sheets. "What's this?" She rushed to it from one side and stared at its beautiful. It was water; the light was bouncing through ripples. "I've never seen water frozen so...perfectly..."

"Don't touch that!" The beast snapped. As if realizing he was coming off as rude, he lowered his voice. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean... I can't let anything happen to them again." Seeing her confused face, the beast shook his head once again. "It's fragile. The water sources are how the servants speak..."

"So you...you can talk to them too?" Elsa let her hand fall away from the fountain. That was fair. She had liked talking with Aqua, Jack, and whoever the other two were. Hurting them was not her intention. "All right, any other ground rules I should follow?" The last she needed was to repeat Anna's mistake and make her stay turn into a punishment,

His answer was immediate. "Don't go out at night. If you need something, I will get it for you. Temperatures get near freezing and you wouldn't last in the cold. I can't make a fire, but I do have warmer clothes if you need them."

She looked at the borrowed vest. Well, of course he would have had more. This probably was a servant's uniform she happened to pull out. Dismissively, she tugged at the cotton. "Cold never bothered me. Anna used to tease me when we were children and I'd go out without a coat."

"It gets colder than that," he argued, "Your friend might have gone into shock if she didn't find this place when she did."

Elsa looked at the beast in surprise. Here she thought he was dragging her through the rosebushes cruelly. In hindsight, Anna didn't look beaten or scared. Well, okay, she was scared, but not the trauma of being assaulted by a large creature with the strength of a bear. "Is that why you brought her in? Not just to punish her?"

The beast shook his head, "Ven guided her in. He's... on the wind." So Ven was the plucky boy with the warm wind that tried to give her hugs via breezes. "When I saw she picked the rose... I lost my temper. If it had been any other rose, it wouldn't have mattered, but she tried to take that one."

So that was why he had been so upset. Anna hadn't meant harm in picking, yet in doing so, she probably caused a great danger on the mountains to awaken. Was the beast some kind of…guardian against the threat? Was it why he seeped out darkness in anger? Elsa looked at her folded hands. "If it'll...put you at ease, I put it in water before I came to find Anna."

The beast made a noise that sounded like a growling sigh. "If anything happened to that rose..." his eyes closed slowly. "Thank you... For bringing it back."

"Why is it so important? Is your...life tied to it?

"Mine and everyone else who lived here before. I..." The fur began rising along with the black and purple swell of darkness. His teeth were exposed in the intense snarl that ushered a low rumble before they closed and he looked away from her, whispering, "I didn't want this."

Elsa, who had held up a hand as if to comfort him, lowered it. "If you need time alone, I understand."

He snorted, "I've been alone for years. I'm... not used to company."

She frowned. "Yes, I figured as much...yet frustration is _not_ something to give your company. And what of the servants? They talk to you too, right? Surely they haven't made you feel so alone!"

"No..." He looked back to the face. Their eyes met. Hers with sadness and confusion, his with guilt and self-loathing. "I can only speak to them at night. It's... different when you're just hearing voices. It makes you wonder if you're sane or not. It's one of the ways they wanted me to regret what I did." The whole experience was incredibly lonesome. But what exactly did he do to tick someone off.

Elsa stepped away. "I'm going to explore the grounds. I won't go past the thorns."

The beast inclined his head to her. "If you need anything, just call…" With his claws scraping the floor, he disappeared up one of the flights of stairs that seemed to be swallowed by shadows. Elsa paused until he was out of sight before stepping towards the main doors, opening them to smell the mountain morning air.


	6. Chapter 6: Dark Consequences

It took everything in his power to not damage to rose any further. She had returned it upon their first meeting and it stayed wrapped in the small white cloth. Somehow, she had been able to keep it alive even with the threat of a cold front. Her friend had been careless, picking the rose as she saw fit. He stole a look to the ground, where he could make out the pale blonde stranger who sacrificed herself for the rose thief.

A snarl escaped his lips. Now that he was alone, he could truly embrace the anger boiling inside of him. He stalked away from the rose, glowering at his too big paws. If he wanted, he could have torn the room asunder. He had given the curtains a redecoration already, have sliced them into nothing but fine, red ribbons. The mirrors had been shattered either by his rage or simply covered over by a blanket; Aqua had suggested the latter after he ended up with a sliver embedded in his paw that took forever to heal.

Aqua. Ven. Jack. Moana.

They were his friends. Thick as thieves and just as cunning. They shared everything from meals to secrets. There had been memories he would never trade the world for with them. They had fought along the mountain against monsters everywhere. The people of the nearby villages celebrated them. They slayed dragons together, they fought off cruel warlocks that threatened the peace, and they even shared some of the mountain's wealth with the less fortunate.

Yet all of this was gone. Because he refused to aid one particular man. Another snarl, this one deeper and lower than the rest, came full force. He had never felt the desire to hate and hurt so much as he did when the thoughts of this man reawakened. It had been a long time since he last thought of him, the enchanter that turned his home into a prison.

 _The afternoon had been perfectly sunny. He was in the main courtyard outside the palace, training with the others. Ven had been knocked by Moana, who laughed and pulled him back up. Jack and Aqua were also sparring, which was peppered with the slightest hints of flirting. Terra had no one to spar with. They all were easily beaten by his heavy-handed fighting style. If being a prince wasn't much to inflate his ego, then being the best fighter in his group certainly was. He was chided by his friends to try different styles to make his tactics less predictable. It was something he was practicing now, a gentler approach. Needless to say, he was failing miserably. The practice dummy was knocked back with the head going one way._

" _Geez, Terra, just because you own the castle doesn't mean you get to wreck it," Jack teased._

 _Terra's father, Sir Eraqus, had been the previous lord and the creator of the castle. He said crystal had been his choice for the foundation because any king could have decorated a palace with gemstones and riches, so logically, one made from the riches wouldn't need any pointless décor._

 _The doors rumbled suddenly. Dropping his sword, Terra rushed ahead. Sir Eraqus believed in giving everyone, even his own son, every day tasks and altered them every few days. It was a tradition they continued after Sir Eraqus was killed in a magic crusade. Terra hated to admit it, but he had been given the less daunting tasks, such as greeting visitors._

 _Terra had never the man standing at the door in his life. He was elderly, showing signs of age with a bent back and graying goatee. His eyes were a steeled yellow. Something radiated off him in heavy surges, and the prince recognized it immediately. It was the invisible surge of magic. All of his friends had it in them, and he was severely lacking in it. Men like this needed to be treated with respect. Terra could imagine his father sternly watching his every step as he smiled in greetings to the elder._

" _Yes? What can I do for you."_

" _You must be Prince Terra," the old man's voice croaked. "First, I wish to offer condolences for the loss of your father."_

 _Eraqus' death had been recent, but not so recent to be forgotten. Terra remembered seeing his father brought before him on the stretcher, one hand gently reaching for him before the last light in his eyes disappeared. The prince's lips tightened, fighting the urge to show weakness in front of stranger. Wordlessly, he nodded._

 _The elderly man managed a sincere smile. After a while, he glanced back. The village of Krokus could be seen . "I have another request to make. The kingdoms fear magicians like you, me, and your friends. The light of the world has cast shadows upon our abilities. They have forced us to hide. Why should we, when we could rule the people, use our power against those who fear us?"_

 _Terra looked long and hard at the elder. The offer didn't sit right with him. It was one thing to accept the magic, it was another to use it as a weapon. There was always going to be fear. He had saved countless people from it. Yet, to use the power as the main drive? Who benefited from that? The Only people who would were those using the magic as a catalyst, not the people themselves. His frown deepened. His friends would be forced to go into battles that were completely one sided. He would be in them. There would be pointless bloodshed._

" _You're confusing me with someone else." He kept his face level. "I'm not going to let my friends start fights over nothing. We don't start fights, we end them."_

 _The enchanter's face fell. In place of an elder seeking solace, he saw the face of an irate old man harnessing power. "You sound just like your father. He and I were close, yet in the end, his foolishness in refusing to act when the time was right, choosing light, that was what caused his end. An end I was more than happy to provide him."_

 _Terra clenched his fists. "What did you say?"_

 _A grim smile crossed the enchanter's face. "Good. Let that anger out, boy. You have kept your inner darkness bottled for too long. Your father coddled you too much, taught you that the darkness was bad! It's time we remedied that…"_

 _A blade that was seemingly forged from black fire came from the enchanter. Terra gritted his teeth, With a cry of anger, he charged forward. Prince and magician clashed blades for what seemed like hours and minutes. That was interrupted by new arrivals._

 _Ven attacked from behind, but before his blade could strike, the old man teleported away. Suddenly, he reappeared, holding the younger fighter tight by the scruff of his neck._

" _Ventus!" Moana charged from the growth where she was hiding. In one hand was a sphere of water, which she threw at the older man. He simply deflected the orb, splashing her in the face and sending her back. A blast of cold wind came from Jack, who had hidden in the trees and tried to blast Ven out of the scruff. In his haste, Ven got the blast of ice. The old man chuckled and dropped the younger boy, who was saved by Aqua riding a wave,. She grabbed him and proceeded to thaw the ice. They were all without weapons, at the mercy of this magician with years of experience._

" _Wait!" Terra called. He stood, tossing his practice sword aside. "Leave them out of this. They don't deserve to be…"_

 _The older man started to laugh. It was quiet and throaty before giving way to a hearty, low cackle. "You ask me to spare your friends? Very well, Prince Terra. I'll…oblige your request. They will live, as will you. But do not think my quarrel with you is over. Since you do not wish to blacken your heart with anger, I will do it for you!"_

 _Terra felt a searing pain rush through his body. It was as if his entire insides were burning and freezing at the same time. He doubled over, watching as his vision began to grow blearily and dark. His friends were also groaning, writhing. Yet unlike him, their bodies were covered with different entites. Ven and Jack were seemingly turning invisible, with only small leaves and snowflakes being left behind. As for Moana and Aqua, they appeared to melt and their skins also became transparent. The magician summoned a fountain made of crystal, and both women fell into the basins._

 _The prince glared at the enchanter, who was smiling with joy. "What…what did you do?!" Terra demanded._

 _The old man shrugged. "I simply let them go back to their elements, so to speak. It is the same thing happening to you. You may converse with them in the evening. And as for you, I have something far worse planned. But first, you must let that primal beast free from his cage!"_

 _What was he talking about? Then he felt it. His bones began snapping and his muscles started twisting. The pain was unbearable. Terra couldn't hold the anger and agony back any longer. He had to let it out. He turned his head skyward and let out a cry of agony. An explosion of black fire, like the one the enchanter used, blasted through the castle courtyard. As he finished his roar, he settled onto all fours. His entire body quivered. He felt worse than any battle he ever fought. He was exhausted and aching. Yet the boot of the enchanter forced him to look up._

" _Your darkness has transfigured your body. Much like your friends, it reflects the creature of darkness you truly are." He turned the prince's face to a hedge filled with purple hued roses. He had never seen them blossom before. "See these blooms? When these roses have all withered and died, you and your friends will as well. The darkness will engulf all those you hold dear. Only by recovering your light will you and your friends be free."_

 _And just like that, he had disappeared in a portal of darkness, leaving the beast that had once been Prince Terra to stare at the wind and water that had been his friends._

Terra stared at the rose with a frown. Water would sustain it, but he knew just by it being picked, its life was shortened. By how long, though? He let out a slow and shaky breath. The enchanter, who had been called Xehanort, was continuing to harass Terra with odd shadowy beasts. He did everything in his power to keep them away. He swatted at them, fought them until they were gone, and yet they were continuing. The light he was supposed to find, or recover, had yet to come to him. The blonde girl had returned the rose, but it would not do any good. She had doomed him and he was nowhere close to solving his curse. "What am I supposed to do...?" he whispered to no one.

"Terra?!"

The voice calling his name didn't belong to any of his friends. They were only allowed to come talk to him at night. Had they somehow broken free? The only other person in the castle was…the blonde girl. He said he'd come if she called for him. He hadn't expected it so soon, though.

She was afraid of him. He saw it in her body language. Her eyes were either staring at him widely or looking away. On the one hand it was understandable, on the surface it looked like he had been keeping her friend hostage. But it wasn't like he was planning on doing anything to hurt her. She knew that, right? Why else would she be…wait, how did she learn his name? Did his friends drop it last night? If they did, it mean the curse was weakening...

"Terra?!" she called for him again.

He rushed out of the room. She was standing by the landing of the entryway stairs, cradling her hands. Small crisscrossed lines of blood decorated the edges. In an elegant movement, remarkable even by his standards, he leapt over the banister and landed in front of her. "What is it?"

The blonde's eyes were widened. Not from fear, but surprise. This became a sigh of relief. "I cut my hands when looking around. I don't want to hurt the servants by infecting their water, so..."

Terra stared at her. So, she did meet the others last night. Even more surprising, she was concerned of hurting them. "I... This way..." He led her towards the back of the castle, just above the lower cellars. The crystal here was unrefined, yet the geodes still provided luminescent light. One rock was split wide open, where there was a waterfall of constantly flowing water. No one knew the source, but it appeared to be an endless cycle.

"It's beautiful..." she breathed in awe. Her mouth opened slightly and she stepped towards the flowing source. Her fingers wriggled under and she gave a slight shiver which dissolved into a giggle. He had seen her stare at the extra necessities of the castle, but he had never heard her laugh until now. It was a soft sound, one that seemed to stop his mind from processing anything.

It wasn't until she started drying her hands on her skirt that Terra snapped out of his daze. Her hands didn't need to be roughly scrubbed like that. He gestured to her hand. "May I?"

She eyed his hands carefully. With some reluctance, she offered him one of hers. The cuts thankfully weren't deep. She probably scrapped them against stone or the hedges by mistake. He used one free talon to cut a scrap from his ruined human clothing and carefully wrapped them. She was quiet the whole time, staring at him like a scared kitten. After finishing the bind, he lowered them.

"Thank you, Terra..." she whispered

"How do you know my name?" he finally asked.

"I found a piece of wood with the name carved into it. I just...assumed..."

"So then what is your name?"

" ...Elsa."

He repeated her name. "Elsa..." He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I did this backwards."

Elsa's hands folded over upon themselves. "It's not your fault. We met under lots of...stress."

"Is... there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

Elsa pursed her lips. "At the moment? Not now. Um…We might as well talk with each other during the day since our…mutual friends can't be with us."

Terra nodded. He wouldn't burden her with talk. She didn't seem the chatty type. "There are some things I can't tell you because of…" he held up his talons, which made her flinch slightly. Still afraid, but at least she wasn't simpering or gasping. He looked out over the waterfall, "'ll tell you what I can?"

"Only If you're comfortable," Elsa said. "What exactly does your...curse entail?

Terra frowned, "Already asking questions I can't answer."

Elsa frowned in return. "Fine. I want to know something that you _can_ answer."

He took a shaky breath. Perhaps bits of the truth wouldn't frighten her away. "I... used to be human. But I upset someone."

Elsa folded her arms. "That's how most of the stories go, Terra. But it does explain a few things…"

Terra laughed humorlessly, "I never actually read stories, much less took them for face value." So, she was an academic it seemed. She was captivated by supposed magic and lost herself in stories. He had yet to take her to one part of the castle, but that as because he never ventured there. "I feel you would like the library."

Elsa gasped, with her blue eyes alight, "You have one?!"

He nodded, a bit confused by her sudden excitement. "Yeah. Most castles do..."

"Where I come from, castles are just places in stories where there's nothing but happy endings."

"I think you've been reading your stories too much..." he teased. "But I could show you the library if you like."

Elsa clasped her hands together. "Please?"


	7. Chapter 7: Table Manners

Terra kept his eyes fixated on the long hall as they walked. This strange girl, Elsa, was here asking all sorts of strange questions. She was staring at things he found ordinary. He huffed to himself. It was getting ridiculous, yet it was…strangely endearing. He glanced back at Elsa, who was still behind him. Her fingers were tracing patterns on the bandage he had applied. He was honestly impressed he hadn't hurt her more. Quickly, he looked back ahead. The more he stared, the more a strange emotion he couldn't place bubbled up. The last thing he wanted it to be was anger. "Your hands don't hurt... do they?"

"They're just scratches. I'll be fine. It's my own fault, grabbing rose branches with my bare hands," she answered.

A large door painted with small spiraling patterns appeared. Terra sighed, and opened the door. Like most of the rooms, it was shrouded in darkness. He held out a paw, gesturing that she go first. She stepped inside, squinting at the darkness before walking over to a small sliver of light coming from a closed window. With one tug, the curtains were swept open. In the sunlight, she exposed rows and rows of crystallized bookshelves that gleamed in the light. Her mouth hung open in a wide grin. Her eyes were wandering on every detail. Terra had never seen her so…happy.

"You really like all this?" he asked.

Elsa didn't say anything. "Like it? I love it." She turned back to him as he openly snorted, frowning. "Terra, these are more than just words on a page! They take you places you never would have imagined." She pulled out a book from one shelf and opened it, gasping in delight. "Oh, Man In the Moon! This was one of my favorites!"

"I never really had the patience for that sort of thing." He admitted.

Elsa shot him a sassy look before reshelving the first book and finding another one. "The Land of Monsters is known as Lamotai…" she started reading. "The island was braved by the tribes of the sea..."

Terra shook his head with a quiet chuckle, "Moana loved telling us that story."

Elsa frowned. He had interrupted her, and it ruffled her. She returned the islander book and picked out another one. "Once, a cruel master created a mirror designed to reflect the evil in people..." A gentle claw over the page stopped her. He had said it was a personal story to Aqua, and just like before, she reshelved it. She read a passage about two brothers, which he pointed out had been Ven's story. The last one she was reading was of a hero awakening one hundred years after nearly dying. Had these stories not been so close to his friends, he would have hearing her read.

"You're finding every story from my friends..." he said out loud, looking at the spines of the books curiously. "I wonder... If they're trying to tell you in their own ways?" They were standing facing each other yet staring at different spines on the same shelf.

Elsa looked over at him. After studying his face, her blue eyes stared at his talons. He hid them as best as he could. The temptation to take each story down, rip out its contents, and sprinkle them like snow was strong. But he had some control. He had not gone into a rage just yet. She picked up the ones she had reshelved and walked away, leaving him alone to scowl at the useless books.

Terra had gotten nothing from looking at the books. Yes, after Elsa had left, he had gone and tried to read some of the stories. There had to be a clue to break the curse somehow, right? He looked over at the rose. The petals were starting to crisp slightly on the edges. He hadn't even thought of looking for a book on keeping the rose alive. Water would only do so much.

Speaking of water, he heard splashing from the claw footed tub. Aqua or Moana were coming in to check on him. And from the cold wind that whipped up suddenly, Jack was among them. Well, then it was Aqua coming to nag him. They were a power couple, even as elementals. The second power couple joined them from the warm breeze and water in a pitcher rattling.

"What's wrong?" Aqua asked. "Elsa went to her room and has been sulking for a while. Did you upset her?"

Terra threw up his paws. "I don't know what to do with her! I... don't want to hurt her. Meanwhile the rose is dying because her friend picked it"

"It's dying?!" They all were shocked and upset

"And I can't tell her she's here because of the rose! She'll think I'm holding her hostage!"

"Is it a hostage situation if she volunteered?" Moana argued, "If I remember, _you_ did something similar for us..." Terra hung his head at the water elemental's point. Yes, he had asked for the worst punishment Xehanort could offer in exchange for his friends being safe.

"But she clearly doesn't want to be here..." Terra moaned.

Aqua hummed thoughtfully, "You have to give her reason not to regret it."

"Showing her the library and bandaging her hands is on the right track. How did she look when that happened?" Jack piped up.

Terra thought back. It was the few times they had interacted. "She was scared when I bandaged her or when I came anywhere near her. Who could blame her...?" His lips peeled back. The darkness flicketed, but he silenced both it and his growl with a sigh. That large smile, the way her eyes glittered seeing the books.

"And the library?" Ven prompted.

Terra spoke softly, "Like Christmas came early. And she laughed when she touched the water in the fountain."

"So, try to find ways to give her that look again, or make her laugh," Jack suggested.

Terra followed the whirl of snowflakes Jack was creating. "But I don't know what she likes!"

"That's why you talk to her," Aqua insisted. "Get to know her. You have to find common ground somewhere...Tell you what, she needs to eat; the only meal she's had all day was breakfast, which was brought up by Ven. Maybe ask her if she would like to share a meal with you?"

Terra looked at his paws and closed his fingers. The talons lightly pressed against the meat of his palms. "I can't even use silverware," he said "I'll make a mess of myself just trying."

"You have a choice," Ven said simply. "You can stay up here to spread doom and gloom, or you can take a step forward in saving us."

Terra gave the rose one last look. Elsa was a bright young woman. She was able to catch on to the castle being magic. The magic hadn't frightened her. Maybe with enough digging, and guidance from everyone, they could come to an answer to save everyone. "Right...I have to. If not for me but you guys..."

Moana wobbled in the pitcher. "Don't be so fatalistic. You'll find a way to save all of us. Get mopey again and I will pour some of this out!"

"Don't say that. We haven't stopped the curse yet."

The water in the tub bubbled from Aqua's impatience, "I will splash you. I swear."

Jack joined the girls in their elemental prowess. "Do not make me ice your sheets!"

Terra would have smiled if his face shape would have allowed it. "Thanks guys. Really good pep talk that ends with threats."

"Well it doesn't matter now," Ven whirled around the room. "What does matter is we get Elsa to feel safe here. That starts with you.

Terra blinked. "But I can fight off any threat!"

Moana rattled in the pitcher again. "He doesn't mean it like that. You can keep her safe from harm, but she needs you to help her with herself. She's scared. She's in a castle with spirits and a strange person she doesn't know. How would you feel in her situation?"

Terra paused. He remembered his own fear from the curse. Elsa had been placed in a similar predicament. Unlike her, he had time to adjust to the changes. She had only been here for one day. His first day had been frightening. Hers was no doubt worse; offering herself up to a monster to ensure her friend got home. Unsure where his friends were and who to trust... After some hesitatation, he left the room.

After loping downstairs, Terra found Elsa by the pavilion. Seeing her standing there was almost a habit. She turned to face him with a startled expression, which melted into one of recognition. As he looked at her blue eyes, he found speaking suddenly difficult. He stammered incoherently before finally spitting out, "Are you hungry?"

Elsa looked to the flight of stairs. "Funny. I was going to look for food."

Terra rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't get around to showing you the dining room or the kitchens... That's my fault."

"Um, we're making up for that now?" Elsa grinned nervously.

Terra fought back the urge to smile with her. It would have coe off looking like a twisted snarl, which would have scared her. "They might have scolded me for not showing you where the food was today. I was a bad host apparently. So let's remedy that." As he led her up the stairs to the dining room, he could see her forcing back words. He knew what she was going to possibly say, she was going to scold him for taking her away from her friend. He huffed before pushing open the hall door for her that led to the dining room.

Elsa gaped at the room. "This place is huge!" she exclaimed. The room was in a star shape from the large embedded crystalline shape to the sharp chandelier hanging from the center of the high peaked ceiling. Two doors opened out to the balcony, where he remembered going to eat with his friends on nice summer days. A lone table, set up with chairs, sat directly in the center in front of an ashen fireplace.

"It used to host some of the most elaborate parties and balls..." He murmured. He looked at the small alcove that led to the kitchen. "I can bring food to the table unless you want to pick things from the kitchen... I don't know if you have allergies..."

"Oh no I'm not allergic to anything food wise." Elsa held out her hand, looking away. "But that was kind of you to consider."

"I'll show you the kitchen in case I'm not around," he insisted.

Elsa followed him. "Not around?"

Terra stared at her solemnly. "You and I both know I can't always keep my temper. I'll be giving you space however I can. And…I'll try not to frighten you. I know... what I am."

"Terra..." Elsa said, "Just because you look like a creature of darkness doesn't mean…"

"Thanks but... I don't think that real life is like the stories." He stopped her from continuing. Her pity was worse than her fear, he realized. He could handle people being afraid of him. People being sorry for him was different. A paw reached out pat her jokingly, but he stopped as she stepped away. He had done this to Ven, Moana and Jack when he was teasing them. But with his claws, he could harm her. There it was again. That desire to do…something, and it involved her. He ignored the feeling and opened the kitchen door for her.

She stepped in tentatively, staring at the fully stocked shelves. There was a rack full of spices and dried herb bundles from various markets. Perishable goods, particularly food grown in the greenhouses – courtesy of the combined efforts of Terra and Ven - and meat from his hunts, were stored in a tight wooden chest. Jack had been good at keep it cold consistently. She picked up a small handful of greens, asking, "How were you able to differentiate between toxic foods and things that are safe?"

"Ven takes care of the greenhouse for produce. As for anything local I stuck to what I knew like blackberries and such... Aqua probably knows the poisonous stuff but... She can't exactly show me.

"Well you managed to survive well for being here by yourself for so long," Elsa sounded impressed.

Terra shrugged. "It helps that I don't get too many violent visitors..."

Elsa was testing a loaf of bread that not doubt had been set to thaw earlier. "The storyteller in Krokus said the worst thing you did was yell in anger as darkness swirled around."

Terra blinked. "The villagers know about me and the castle?"

"Well...one person did," Elsa corrected her earlier statement. "I don't think the villagers took him seriously. I was skeptical of him too, but now I'm here, trapped alongside the very person he was talking about."

Terra avoided looking at her. "You can say monster... It's what I am..."

Elsa was silent. She was holding a knife carefully, slicing the bread and sweeping crumbs into her hand. He let her work to grab his own prize. Half of a smoked boar was still there. It just needed to thaw in the fire. So, he sat on his haunches by the great fire, staring at the prize thawing and melting. Elsa joined him a short while after. She looked from the hunk of meat to him, putting two and two together. Rather than gasping, she was quietly laughing. "How long does that need?"

"I have to do it over a spit. The boars are often too big for smoking otherwise." It was a long process, too. His friends weren;t around to cook for him. He had to survive somehow. "Besides, there's rare and then there was freshly hunted." He saw her sit down quickly with a fearful expression and he immediately kicked himself inwardly. Well, he had to make up for that hiccup. "Would you like any?"

Elsa's mouth became a grimace disguised as a grin. She was disgusted by the huge corpse. No doubt hearing that he was the cause of the demise frightened her. "No...no thank you." She turned her attention to her food, eating in silence. At times, she would spare him a glance before looking down. Compared to his large kill, her simple little green-filled sandwich was dainty. Maybe a bit too dainty for someone as pale and skinny as her.

The thawed meat was ready the minute he smelled it. He lugged the large pound to one size, making her plate rattle upon its force. Using his claws, he began cutting it into more manageable sizes until a huge pile ended up on the empty plate she had set out for him. Once again, she was staring at his actions. He looked down sheepishly. "I... was too lazy to grab a knife to cut it..."

Elsa looked at the pile. "I'm...impressed. I was expecting...you know," she held up her hands in a clawed finger stance and released a meek growling noise. It was adorable.

"I usually don't care how I eat... but I'm sure you would have…"

"If we're stuck here together, I might as well get used to it..."

"No. I need to eat like a person. Not a monster."

Elsa hummed thoughtfully. "I'm not sure how long you've been stuck like this, but if you want to eat like a person, we need to start from scratch. What's your dominant hand? I mean, are you left handed or-?

"Right handed... why?"

"All right so, pick up the fork with your right hand."

"My hands are a bit big for forks... but I'll try..." He followed her directions. The little fork was dwarfed in his massive paws. She guided him with visual cues. He was grateful she wasn't laughing or taking it as a joke. He felt stupid enough. The first tries were messy. After a fourth piece of meat fell to the floor, he set it down, giving her a look that dared her to laugh at him. She didn't. Instead, she looked sympathetic.

She spoke softly and reassuringly. "t's never easy relearning a task. When I was eight, I broke my arm playing with Anna. Had to learn everything with my left hand. It was incredibly difficult. Don't expect to get it perfect. It just shows you're learning."

"Or you just like to watch me make a fool of myself," he grumbled. She looked offended, but he held up a paw. "It's fine. If it makes you laugh, I can endure it."

"What does me laughing at you solve?" she cried.

"I'd laugh at myself too?" He was confused. Who planted the idea of being so uppity all the time? She was always demure and academic. Even her style of dress, complete with the pale blonde bun, made her appear older than she really was. "You can laugh at yourself you know? Not everything is direly serious."

Elsa slumped back in her chair. "That's easy for you. No one looks at you and criticizes you for getting just a toe out of line and calls you a wasted potential."

Was that…a hint at her life before coming here? Being forced to live up to someone's expectations? He wouldn't lie to her, he had days of that just for his title alone. He was hard on himself because his father had entrusted so much to him. He had his friends to look after and he had failed them. He failed them all. Now thanks to one wrong move, he was stuck as a monster everyone ran from. Yet he found this a success. He had gotten her to open up a bit.

"I think I know what you mean..." he paused, choosing to break the news lightly. "You have nothing but potential Elsa... You have choices in your life I don't…

"Yes, you do! What was your ambition before...this?" she gestured to his entire being.

"I…didn't really have one. I had just become the lord of the castle after the death of my father. I didn't have much time to get used to it." And get used to his new body.

Elsa nodded sadly. "I'm sorry. That's something we have in common...my father was a merchant. He passed away three years ago."

So, she lost her father too. He was probably the one with the strict rules. "I'm sorry for your loss. It's never easy." He had piled off the meat with his fork without realizing it. He swallowed before continuing, "I have to keep the mountain safe since he's no longer here to protect the kingdoms..."

"What about the roses?" Elsa asked. "Did your father care for them, too?"

"No. The rose your friend picked is tied to me...it's the last one. If it dies..."

Horror crossed her face. This time, it wasn't _of_ him. It was _for_ him. "If Anna picked it…You only have fourteen days left..." That was how long it took a rose to die? His heart sank. There was hardly any time then. He had endured this pain, ager, and darkness as long as he could. Knowing he would die without ever reclaiming that light filled him with a different kind of darkness. She tightened her lips as the sadder shadows lengthened across the floor. "Terra, I was the cause of all this. So, I will do anything to set this right."

It still didn't make Terra's saddened request better. "Just stay with me...until the rose dies? When it does... you can go…I should have been watching it..." His hair began standing on end. Sadness was replaced with frustration. The darkness was seeping through again, becoming tongues of black, purple, and deep blue energy swirling in the room. He was so blind, so stupid. The only way to force the darkness back was a clench of one paw while the other impaled the final scrap of meat on his plate.

Elsa jumped from the rattle, but smiled. "Look at you holding a fork right!"

Terra glanced down. The meat was perfectly speared. There was no losing it. He looked at her with some trace of gratitude. Had he not been wanting to scare her, he would have smiled. "You're a good teacher."

Elsa blushed, "We'll work on more habits then..." Bells tolled from the hall clock. They glanced over at the same time. It was late. Far later than any of them had stayed up probably. She stood and scooted her chair in. "I...should be getting ready for bed. Um, I'll...see you tomorrow?"

Terra slowly nodded. "Do you know where your room is from here?" He could escort her if he wanted. They could talk more. It'd have to wait for the morning, then.

Elsa shook her head. "Ven said he'd be guiding me if I got lost, too."

"Elsa…" He looked at her face. Once again, he felt that fluttering sensation. His heart skipped a beat. She could have easily eaten alone in her room. Instead, she had chosen to stay with him. She taught him the start of acting like a human again. She didn't run or scream. "Thank you for... having dinner with me."

She tucked a hair that had fallen from her bun back into place. "How about we do it another night? It was nice...not eating alone."

Terra nodded. "I would like that...

Elsa looked down bashfully before retreating to her room. But before she left, she looked back at him over her shoulder. "You know, you say you're a monster...but last I checked, monsters didn't openly admit their faults or speak softly."

Her words stayed with Terra as he cleaned up their dinner things before retiring to his room and staring at the rose. It wasn't drooping like earlier. It was slowly standing back up, the petals curving and looking healthy.


	8. Chapter 8: Getting on the Same Page

Terra heard the sounds of a struggle going on in the library the following afternoon. Did that mean creatures had broken into the castle? Were they going after Elsa? He took a quick breath, barging down the hall towards the source of the noise. He worked too hard to defend the castle for his father's name. Was it because of the weakened rose they were able to slip through without being detected?

He would have broken down the door if it weren't already open. The noises had been coming from the library. If he had made a mess with his claws on other things, he was astounded by how much clutter Elsa was leaving behind. She had stacked books high onto one table. A reading nook was littered with half opened books, some were dog eared where they hadn't been before. Some books had fallen face first with the pages bunched up like an accordion. So, she was an avid reader. This was probably a quarter of the library off the shelf and on the floor.

Her heard her noise again. She was grunting like she was swatting at the air. As he was looking, he had to look away to avoid accidentally peeking up her skirt. She was standing on the very top of a high ladder. One arm was reaching for a book just sitting on a shelf, her other arms cradling several other volumes. What exactly had she been up to?

Elsa made another attempt to grab the book. When she did, the leather bound volume went sailing before landing on the ground with an graceless thud. But Terra was more concerned with the pale blonde wobbling. She tried to regain her balance and her foot slid off the wrung. He dashed to the bottom of the ladder, grabbing her just before her face could meet crystalline floor. She was lighter than he anticipated. Well, he figured as much, she was dainty, and he was stronger in this form, loathe to admit it. She blinked at him with her face filled with absolute surprise. He was staring back at her too, looking like a fool. A hideous, bumbling fool. He cleared his throat and set her down. She laughed quietly before clearing her own throat. A hair had escaped her coiffed bun, and she swept it back into place.

"Um, thank you." She stammered.

He was sure if the fur hadn't covered his face, he would have been red. He had successfully played the part of hero, rescuing the damsel in distress from falling. A creature of the dark holding someone so full of…light. Maybe that was what made him gravitate to Elsa. She was brimming with light, even when he saw her scared and sad demeanor.

"Well, that was quite the catch." She sounded impressed and that only made the heat in his cheeks rise more.

He avoided looking at her. "Are…are you okay?" he asked gruffly.

Elsa held her hands together. "Besides the rush of adrenaline? I'm fine."

He looked back. She was safe. He was worried in his rush he had hurt her. But there was no signs of a tear on her clothes or a small scratch. He patted himself on the back. Not only had he gotten to her in time, he had not hurt her.

"The book on the other hand…."

He looked back. The book was absolutely pulverized. The spine was cracked open and reams of paper were scattered all over the floor. No amount of glue was going to fix that. He glanced up to the high shelf where it had fallen before she went after it. The last person he thought of that nearly did that had been Aqua, and Jack had been the first to catch her.

"Elsa, why didn't you come get someone to help you? That book was way out of your reach. If I hadn't been in here, you could have hurt yourself! You need someone taller to reach the shelves!"

"Oh, so you mean…someone like you." She was irritated. The sort of irritated that covered up admitting a mistake. It was a small victory for him. He would have smiled and taunted her, but he wasn't sure how she would respond to a light tease.

"You're in _my_ castle so your safety is _my_ responsibility!"

Her mouth hung open a tiny bit. "This may be _your_ castle, but I'm not going to let you yell at me. My choices are my own; I admit mine was stupid. End of discussion." Her blue eyes became steeled for a moment and her lips tightened thinly. He had gotten her upset. Without another word, Elsa pushed past him to collect the remains of the fallen book. The ones she had been holding had also fallen to the floor. She picked them up and moved to the far side of the library, an expression like ice etched onto her face.

Both of them didn't join the other for dinner. Instead, they sulked in their room with their respective meals. It was one step forward and two steps back. Terra was grumbling to himself. He should have just let her fall. A bruised shoulder would have taught her reaching too high up. She probably broke her arm that way when she was a kid as she had mentioned. But as that nasty thought left his head, he stopped. What kind of thought was that? He didn't want anything bad to happen to Elsa. It was the first time it occurred to him his own frustrations and anger were seeping into his mind. She was right. She _didn't_ need to have him yelling and growling at her. She needed someone making sure she was safe. Once again, he felt it. A desire of putting himself in front of the dangers. He did it today. He had heard her reaching for a book and everything had frozen in that moment. The only thing that had mattered had been that she didn't fall and hurt herself.

He left his room, the remains of his meal being a huge bone. He knew where her room was. Ven was almost always flitting by it. The warm wind servant had taken a liking to Elsa, and would prattle on about her. Terra wasn't sure if it was the darkness or a sting of jealousy that he felt whenever Ven gushed. Even Moana seemed to get annoyed with Ven's raves. Ven would calm the water elemental down with a sly flirt, to which she would grumble or huff in retaliation and forgive him. This would be worth a try. As he stood by Elsa's door, he knocked.

"Elsa?" There was no answer. He knocked again. "Elsa…I wanted to..."

"Not tonight, Terra," she answered from behind the door. Her voice was close to the wood. From the shadow on the floor, he knew she was propped against it, knees to her chest. He slid with his back to it, mirroring her position.

He hadn't realized he had fallen asleep that way when a little tendril of frost crept up his back. The sun had risen, which meant Jack wasn't able to talk to him. But at least the frost gave him the hint. Terra shuffled up, shaking the small bits of ice of. The doorknob rattled and Elsa walked out the door. Her dark blue dress was rimmed with white fur. She blinked once at seeing Terra outside before her expression became neutral.

"I owe you an apology…"

Terra sat up. "No, I'm the one who should apologize. You were right. I shouldn't have yelled at you. It wasn't fair."

"No, no, you're…I should have asked for help. I was being stubborn."

He laughed weakly. "I guess that's something we have in common."

She chuckled. She looked over to the window and he followed suit. Rain was falling in heavy sheets. Well, sleet rather. The little droplets of ice rebounded off in tiny plinks.

"Well, so much for my morning routine," she murmured. He had noticed there was a routine to her day for the short time she had been with him. Usually after eating, she left her room and walked the grounds. Then it was time in the library. After lunch, it was back to that. Dinner was followed, in which she joined him or he came in a while later from his shifts of looking over the grounds. They would chat then before heading up to bed. Elsa played with her hair, which he had just now noticed was a messier version of her usually tightly coiled bun. "Um…any ideas?"

"Sorry. I'm sort of at a loss for ideas," he answered with a nervous chuckle.

"Why not just have a lazy day," she suggested. "at least until it stops sleeting."

He liked that idea. There was no big rush to get into any trouble or attacking any monsters. Elsa turned away to strut downstairs. After a while, he followed her and looked at her walking in the direction of the library from his view on the landing. Was this her idea of a lazy day? As tempted as he was to jump over the railing again, Terra stopped himself. She didn't need to feel like she was being stalked and constantly watched. He waited until the library door opened before he leapt, pausing and lurking in one corner. The shadow of the column and the heavy decorative curtain kept him well out of sight, but he had enough space to watch her.

She was walking to a nook, carrying the same books she had dropped yesterday. Even the book that was fallen apart was in her hands. She stared at one page, her lips practically whispering the words that were written. He saw the joy in her eyes. She continued to read, unaware of him watching her. She closed the book and opened another one, murmuring. He sat as still as he could, listening to her voice steadily get louder as she continued reading.

"…And the sky woke with lights flashing across the sky, lit aloft by many crystals…"

Terra backed away slowly. Best to give her some privacy. But as he did, his too broad of shoulders collided with a bookshelf behind him. An avalanche of books fell, luckily not on his side, starling her from reading. She looked in the direction with widened eyes.

"Who's there?" she called out. And after a beat, she added, "It's not funny to do that, Ven!"

"It wasn't Ven!" Terra shook himself free from the book pile. "It was me. Sorry, I overheard you and…figured you…wanted to be alone."

She looked at him, struck mute. After a while, her surprised expression softened. Something like amusement made her blue eyes glitter. "How long were you…lurking there?"

He gave a nervous laugh. Great, now she probably thought it was becoming a habit of watching her read or hide in the library. He felt awful. "I…wasn't there the whole time you were reading." He cleared his throat. "I only started listening when you mentioned something about the sky waking up."

Elsa looked down at her book. Recognition crossed her features. "Oh, the northern lights!" She smiled sadly. "I've always loved the stories around them. Ever since I was a little girl."

He made a note of that. He had learned a few things about her these few days. Her favorite flowers were roses. She was a merchant's daughter. She was selfless, seemingly putting others needs before hers. Now, he was learning of her adoration for the northern lights along with her love of books. She also seemed to hate being overly coddled or irritated. Her anger was like a cold blizzard; when it came, it struck quick and to the point. Never the less, he was starting to see her as a person.

After some silence, Elsa looked back to the pages, then at Terra. "Do you…want me to continue?"

He hesitated. Besides dinner, he had never felt the need to get close to her nor had he even made an effort to touch her. He had held her hands once, but that was only to apply bandages. Being close by was new. He was looking for some sort of nervous twitch or a hint of fear. All he saw was her wide smile and a hand patting a seat next to her. Yet that gesture was a sign of trust. She trusted him to sit by her, and his heart clenched. After looking into her blue eyes, he sat next to her, avoiding eye contact once they were shoulder to shoulder.

She continued reading out loud. As she did, Terra let his mind wander, guided by her voice. He could see the northern lights paint the sky with streaks of green and blue and pink, dimming out the stars. But also in that image, he pictured himself sitting next to her watching the sky wake up with her beautiful smile lighting up her face.


	9. Chapter 9: Thawing the Ice Princess

For two days, the lifestyle of Terra and Elsa seemed to fall in a set routine. As dawn rose, Elsa was given breakfast by Ven and Moana. They met on the landing near the front entrance, contemplated the weather, and based on that, figured out what they could have done for the day. The first day it had been talking about the knighthood he and his friends while she shared stories about the misadventures she had with Anna as the two of them were walking through the outer grounds, the second day it had been a poorly strategized chess game on both sides, ending in a stalemate. After lunch, Elsa would read as Terra sat nearby. The second day she had let him come close to her without showing any sign of fear. It tormented him how close she was and yet, he couldn't tease her with risking her safety. At dinner, they'd sit in the huge dining hall. On the second night, Elsa was sitting close to Terra, no longer disgusted by the huge quanties of meat he was slicing and he, in turn, was getting more adept in silverware. At this point, Terra was finding her unintentionally distracting from the smell of rose water from her skin to the tiniest traces of smiles she was giving him. At the sound of the bell, they'd go up to rest.

On the second night at dinner, she lingered in the dining room after dinner, insisting she wash up and arguing she was being an incredibly rude guest to her hosts.

"Just because I come off as prim doesn't mean I'm afraid to get my hands dirty," she argued, folding her arms and staring at him with a well timed pout.

He held up his paws in surrender. "Fine." He was finding it difficult to counterargue her. Not just because he didn't want to run the risk of losing his temper, but because he was seeing a side to her beneath the elegant little ice princess she appeared to be.

The next morning, the storm had seemed to die down on the mountain. Ten more days of spending time in the castle. The deal had been to stay with Terra until the rose died, and he with it. Aqua was nagging him about being overdramatic. They knew he'd break the curse put on him. There was one small problem; aside from the vague hint Xehanort gave him about recovering his light, he didn't know how.

She was adjusting a purple cloak over her shoulders on the landing. "Elsa!" He hailed her. Recently, the underlying growl was starting to go away from his voice. He saw less shadows in the castle. He was even managing to walk upright without growing exhausted. He was descending the stairs to greet her. Although he never smiled, she did catch a glimmer in his blue eyes.

"Terra," she greeted him.

"Are you heading outside?"

Elsa nodded. "Just a walk for some fresh air after being inside for four days." She looked over at him. "Do you….do you want to come with me?"

Terra was stunned. This had been the second time she had asked him to join her for something. Before, she would have shaken her head or stared at him with fear. Her small smile had reached her eyes. That was also what kept him rooted and insecure. Someone like her shouldn't have been asking a creature like him to go for a walk. Her kindness would be his downfall. After staring at her a while longer he met her at the landing. She didn't shift or scoot in fear.

The doors to the main pavilion opened and they walked out. The grounds were blanketed by snow, now filled with holes from the sleet and rain before. With that blanketing, the blue crystal palace looked like it had been carved from ice. He looked at Elsa out of the corner of his eyes. An ice palace for an ice princess. She'd have a perfect place to stay.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

Terra looked back from the towers to her. Even when she wasn't trying to be, she looked adorable. Wait, not even adorable. It was something beyond it that he couldn't put a name to.

"Just…remembering things," he answered. Remembering he was on a strict deadline and had a will to write out for her. Everything would go to her. She may have given up the merchant status, but to be a lady of a castle was huge. It would put her high above everyone else in Krokus.

"Like what?" her eyebrow rose.

He trailed off. To tell her he was talking about death was a bit extreme. He glanced ahead to the snow laden rows of bushes. He had ordered them to be planted there so he would be kept in. Some of the hedges had been planted by Xehanort. The flowers on there were now long gone, the last one sitting in a vase slowly dying.

"Um…back when the others were around, we always trained right on this spot. You found my practice sword a few days ago."

"The wooden one?" she asked.

He nodded. "I carved that when I was a kid. Kept it around as sort of a lucky momento." He chuckled dryly, "I was a little brat."

Elsa chuckled. "What did you kick tutors' legs under tables and what not?"

He briefly joined her laugh. "No, I think I did worse."

"Oh. I'm lucky I didn't get that treatment when I taught you basic etiquette," She was teasing. It caught him off guard. He was used to her serious demeanor. Or her cold shoulders. Her laughter and joking was new to him. The laugh disappeared as they stood in the pavilion, where the paths wound around in different directions. One path led to the bush that started this situation to begin with. Taking her there would be awful memories.

He skirted a path to the right, avoiding the bad memory all together. "They were my friends. The four of us got into all sorts of trouble," Terra said. "Aqua was always breaking up petty arguments and making us things when she wasn't practicing her sword swings. Ven and I were always close. You could say he was the closest thing I had to a brother. Jack always turned sparring into a game. On days like this, he'd…" he looked over. Elsa was gone.

"…Elsa?"

Something hit him from behind. Something cold. It melted upon impact and he spun in the direction. Elsa was standing there with her eyes rolled high to the sky and her lips curling into too tight of a smile.

"He'd do something like that?" she asked through her grin.

Terra was having a hard time deciding whether he liked this side of Elsa or not. She was smiling at least, and not dolefully walking around. Her pale cheeks were filled with color. It had been so long since anyone had playfully done something to him. Besides, usually something thrown at him would have been a stone or something else, something that would have left him unconscious. Barrages of insults would have followed the throw, and people would have tried to kill him. Yet Elsa hadn't done it out of cruelty or an attempt to kill him. He grabbed another wad of snow, chucking it back. It grazed her shoulder as she dodged.

She rushed away with a laugh. "Can we get some ammo!" she called with a snicker. Like daisies, small piles of snowballs appeared. She had lassoed the elementals into it. Well, great, now he was probably outnumbered.

"That's no fair!" he shouted, non-aggressively, "You can't rely on outside help!'

"Who said they were only helping me?" she pointed. So, there were piles for him. "Come on, Terra!' she cried out to him. "You got this!"

Laughter echoed through the pavilion along with the sailing snowballs. The elementals might not have been able to speak during the day, but he was sure they were laughing close by. It was so odd to hear any sort of laughs again. He had laughed with his friends many a night in this area. Now, he was engaging someone else in a snowball fight, hearing himself laugh with that same person. A young woman that agreed to stay with him until the rose wilted. A young woman who had known loneliness like him, and was now laughing. To say he was overwhelmed would be a gross understatement.

Elsa had ducked behind a bush, when her laughter became silent. The fight had taken them away from the pavilion to an untamed section of the gardens even he hadn't known about. Terra paused, glancing around, the laughs and joy being forgotten. After a few brief seconds, there was a loud grunt. She came skidding from around a bush.

He rushed to her side as she struggled to sit up. A red mark was made clear along her cheek. Not a scratch, but like someone backhanded her. He looked over to snarl at the shadows. Two glowing red eyes darted from bare tree to bare tree. It was completely encased in shadow, making it impossible to track.

Terra stood in front of Elsa. He scanned the area, following the red light. It disappeared for the briefest of moments and neither of them budged. His heart pounded in his ears, and his muscles tensed, ready to pounce at any given moment. Something was out there, toying with them both. Terra was shielding her with his body, but then with some struggling, he felt her pressing his back against his.

"Elsa, no, you have to get somewhere safe."

"And let you fight it alone? I don't think so!" In her hands, she had managed to grab a sharp stick, barbed with thorns. They stood like this, back to back, their eyes glued on the dweller of darkness that dared come ruin whatever fun they had in years.


	10. Chapter 10: Protection

The pounding of heavy feet came from one side. Elsa turned to find the red orbs charging directly towards her. They were attached to a shapeless shadow. Despite its lack of mass, it had rammed into her. Hard. The stick was knocked from her grip and she was sent flying.

"Elsa!" Terra cried.

She landed face fist into the snow. She slid, but not toward anything dangerous. Her bun was knocked out and she shook her loose hair from her face. Terra ensured she was standing before rooting himself in front of the charging shadow. He couldn't hold his blade, but his strength and talons were good for something. In one paw, the purple-black fires of darkness surged. He swiped and the strike sped towards the creature before it leapt over them with the same agility as a cat, posing, taunting them to attack.

Terra cursed under his breath. "Damn... it's quick. Be on your toes!"

Elsa staggered to her feet, narrowing her eyes. The being just stared at them before leaping forward. Both of them dodged in opposite directions as it slunk around the shadier crevices. It jumped towards Elsa, but this time she was more prepared. She swung once, managing a hit, before ducking to avoid its heavy, bashing leap. 'Whatever it is, it likes the darkness…" she observed out loud.

It came nowhere near areas where the traces of light were shown. Terra clenched his hand into a tight fist. He couldn't let it loose. Not with her close by.

The monster bellowed and stepped into the light, revealing its true form. Its red eyes sat in the purple, black, and red streaked body of a four legged being with spikes along its back and tail. The pointed jagged head was framed with purplish spikes like a lion's mane. Heavy chains were wrapped around its clawed forepaws. It moved like a lion, too, toying with them whenever they tried to make a frontal attack and leaping for them if they got too close. It shot balls of blue-black energy that Elsa and Terra knocked back easily. The only time they ever hit the beast was when it exposed its unprotected backside.

The monster chose to fight fire with fire, but before its energy attack could reach them, Terra crouched over Elsa to defend them both. Yet it pounced close to her, framing her in its paws and pushing him aside. She swung her thorny club. Her intent on getting out had distracted her from how the monster swiped her. There was no skidding. This time she had been chucked into the air with her back slamming against a tree.

Terra cried out her name again, running to her aid and once again staring the thing down. His brow was furrowing and his blue eyes were intense with anger. A purple-black energy had started flaring in his hand. The core was a reddish hue. He scowled at his hand as turned to face the demon. "No... Not now!" He clenched his fist and it faltered. As the monster reached them both, Terra lunged forward with a slice directly aimed at its face. The strange creature staggered from Terra's aggressive assaults. Its underbelly was exposed and he was swiped at it, roaring, "Die already!" The black-blue aura he tried to hold back was growing with his assaults.

Dazed, the beast shook its head. Elsa charged with her thorn branch, stabbing it precisely in the abdomen. She spun away as it shook its head, clearly unphased. Both fighters were breathing heavily from their respective attacks. The giant wasn't done, though. It was astounding how so much damage could be afflicted and it was still standing. It charged into a fast circle, so fast it was hard to see. It would break from the ring to fly at them. Both of them got clipped by the charge.

Terra growled under his breath as he stood, holding the side he had been clipped and the churning blackness around him swelled again. Elsa held her own side. He fired a look of absolute hatred at the monster. "I said die!" He lunged again with irate roars and began hitting it over and over. The monster was pushed back where, after one final swipe, it was impaled by the thorns. That sealed its fate, where it disappeared into small whisps.

Terra took a deep breath. His muscles relaxed, as did his face. Whatever aggression had possessed him in the fight was gone. He slumped with one hand on the very arm where that strange power had come from.

"Terra what was that?" Elsa's voice trembled.

"The monster? I don't know... I've never seen anything like it...It's…another…."

"No, not that. I've never seen you so...full of bloodlust like that."

Terra couldn't even look her in the eye. "I...struggle with darkness from time to time. When you got hurt... I..." His darkness. His curse. He had tried to keep it back for her. He felt the fluttering again, and he looked at Elsa. Protection. That's what he felt whenever he saw her. He hadn't felt it in so long. He had been wanting to protect Elsa. It was why he froze at the thought of her getting hurt, of why he lunged to catch her when she fell. He was trying to protect her, but the thought of what he would have become had it been let the darkness out in full... "I'm sorry...I'm trying every day to fight it. I was just afraid I would lose you."

Elsa looked at him with an unreadable expression before looking away. A tear trickled from one closed eye. He would have cradled her face and swiped it off her cheek, but he saw her shaking. She was afraid of him yet again. Or was she? She looked back at him, scrubbing her face.

"This is part of why you look the way you do, isn't it?" she asked. She pulled her beaten up cloak closer to her body. "You have to fight these things, because if they attacked the castle, they'd be closer to hurting innocent people, including your friends…"

"That's the biggest one sent to me," he mused. "And yes. My darkness is fed by it." He shook his head. "They're drawn to it…no matter how hard I've tried to hold it back, it keeps flaring up. I lose my mind every time."

Elsa placed a hand on him. Her touch was slightly chilled, but he melted beneath it. Her presence seemed to shake away all other shadows. He turned to look at her. She was no longer afraid. She looked relieved and uncertain despite being dishelved.

"Thank you." She murmured.

He had never heard those words in a long time.


	11. Chapter 11: Revelations

There was no rain when Terra and Elsa returned to the castle, but there might as well have been. They were in complete silence, avoiding any looks. He out of guilt for unleashing the darkness he fought so hard to keep inside. She out of uncertainty. The real threats were the monsters being sent here, and the sorcerer who had sent them. She wanted to ask if he knew the man was still alive and up there, and then stopped herself. He had already reopened enough wounds of his past for her. They glanced at each other in silence, letting their eyes do the talking. How he wanted to tell her, but the curse had silenced him into submission. How she was injured, but it was nothing some warm water provided by the servants would allow. She was battered, but nonetheless safe. He had, with great care, scooped her up and was carrying her back inside; She had made no objections but was quiet. It irritated him. He was tired of her being afraid of him. Tired of seeing her be a doormat most of the time. Yet she had managed to put up a fight against the monster. The thorn branch had been improvised, but it was better than going at it blindly.

The only thing Elsa said as he set her down at her room's door was, "Excuse me.". She left his side and went into her room. He heard the door slightly hesitate before closing with the latch landing tight.

Once again, he was alone. He clenched his paw into a fist and gritted his teeth. One step forward and two steps back. It always happened. He was thinking he had gotten through her walls. Then he did something to scare her. A low growl escaped and he stormed to his own quarters. He tripped over a toppled table, and it only made his anger increase. He backhanded the wood, sending it flying across the room where it exploded into splinters upon making impact with a wall.

 _I told her I couldn't keep my temper in check all the time, and then all of it happened. If that thing hadn't shown up…_

He paced the floor, still seething. The darkness flooded over his body like a shroud. As the blackness filtered his eyes, he stopped. He had warned her, but the creature sent today was unexpected. Didn't he also say it had been the biggest one yet? He was used to smaller variations of the small beings. He usually fought those because if they went to the villages, the swarms would be awful. Worse than a plague of rats. The villagers would be attacked nonstop.

But this time, he hadn't fought for them, the people he didn't know and knew would fear him. He had fought because someone important had been the victim. Elsa. She was his friend. He had fought because he wanted to protect _her_. He was afraid of losing _her._

"Terra?!"

Ven's worried voice came along with a wind that blew through the torn curtains. "Are you okay? We heard crashing and you snarling around outside."

"I'm fine." Terra huffed bitterly. "What about Elsa? Is she safe?"

"Moana and Aqua are taking care of her," Ven answered.

"Girl talk," Jack chimed in. "So, what happened out there?"

Terra would have scowled at them if he could actually see them. Hot and cold wind was the only sign of their presence, as was the small fractals of ice. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about the darkness. It seemed to be his every being. His father would be disappointed in him, letting such a negative thing control his life. Would he have approved of him taking down a creature to defend his friend? He would have done the same if Ven and Jack had been in Elsa's shoes.

The small patch of frost hovered around Terra. Jack made a tisking noise with his tongue as the ice met the blackened part of the floor. "You let the darkness loose."

Terra hung his head. "What was I supposed to do? Let the creature kill Elsa?"

"Wait, Elsa got attacked?!" Ven cried.

Terra dug his claws into the rug. "Yes. It attacked Elsa. I only let it loose because I wanted to protect her…" He looked at the ideal direction they would be in. "I let it out, but no more. Elsa's…she's important."

The wind elementals were silent for a while. The warmth and cold danced with one another. He heard them whisper amongst themselves and immediately he stiffened. What were they going to say? He had valued many opinions, and theirs was some of the select few he refused to ignore. His father's opinion had been the highest. Second to that had been his friends', and now this included Elsa. She had been so torn up looking at them when they went back inside. Not afraid, not sorry for him, but something in the middle. At least it wasn't true fear or true hatred like she had given him in the past.

The whispers stopped, and Jack spoke up. "Since Aqua's not here, I'll speak for her. You know better than to rely on darkness. I get it, you wanted to keep Elsa safe, but in the past all its done is make you feral again."

Ven agreed with Jack, "Normally, we'd say you would never turn dark on us. But Xehanort's curse makes this worse! Also, look at the rose!"

Terra followed Ven's request. Before. The rose had been heathy. Now, its head was hanging low like he had done. A petal was peeling off like skin. The color was faded. No…no. He looked at the grooves on the table. His darkness had been killing the roses this whole time. That was why the buds all shriveled and died whenever he had fought the creatures in the past; he _had_ relied on the darkness within him. As a result, it stripped away his humanity. The roses were the last things he had. Anna's picking hadn't killed it, and now it was just clinging to life. The more he used the darkness, the faster it would die. The thorns and ice spikes hadn't kept them away.

But it had been days since the creatures had come up. He had been spending his time with Elsa. He had been struggling in attempts to get to know her. Until that dark enemy attacked, he had made some progress. She even thanked him for saving her.

"Terra…how did she...respond?" Jack asked. "Was she afraid?"

He looked away from the dying rose. "I... I'm not sure. I brought her back and left her in her room..."

"But did she say anything?" Jack prodded.

"She thanked me for not letting them hurt her?" Terra said with uncertainty.

Jack hummed, "And you never heard that in a long time. She could have thanked you for saving her in general."

"Jack, she's just happy she wasn't hurt," Terra said insistently.

Ven blew around him. "Go ask her!"

Terra swatted at the warm wind. "I'm not asking her how she felt about it. She doesn't need the reminder!"

Ven stopped and the wind died down. "Touchy..."

Jack's ice climbed onto the unmade sheets of the bed. "She wants to help you! I looked at the books she was reading. She was researching stuff, not just reading stories on the Northern Lights."

Terra snorted. "I don't think she can help no matter what books she reads."

"Not with that attitude!" Ven huffed.

It had been a long time since Terra had let out an animalistic roar. Yet here he was, roaring at the wind. Heat and cold tumbled over one another in its wake. The rage that had been built up was gone and he slumped to the ground, curling up like the beast he felt himself becoming. He let out a lofty sigh. "She deserves to be treated better than what I can give her…"

The scattered frost had pinpointed the spot Jack had fallen onto from the incident. It shook itself free, scattering melting ice across the room. It whisked past the clawed dresser, returning to hover by him. The chill went through Terra's fur. "Okay, then shoot. How do you think she should be treated?"

Terra sighed, ":I... don't know."

Ven's warm wind ruffled his mane. "I think you do."

Terra quietly contemplated the rose. He inhaled the air, taking in the remnants of the smell. The musky floral scent reminded him of Elsa. He thought of her pale blonde hair and her large blue eyes, and the way she smiled. Her laugh was soft, like her speaking voice. How she folded her hands whenever she was nervous. How she avoided direct eye contact when particularly shy.

"I like her," he said quietly, " don't want to see her hurt if the curse doesn't break."

Jack's next comment has a hint of mischievous smile, "So you _like_ her?"

Terra shook his mane, tossing away snow that was falling on his head courtesy of Jack. "It's hard not to like her"

Elsa hissed in pain before settling back with a loud sigh. The warm water, courtesy of Moana and Aqua, was exactly what her bruised and battered body needed. The rose scented soap wafted through her nose and she leaned back against the marble of the claw footed tub. Her small scratches from the shadow that Terra protected her from became just small lines. They'd heal with the salve Aqua had directed her to.

Terra…he had saved her life from that creature. He had said that the darkness was something he struggled with. It was stronger in his moments of anger. His anger scared her. He had been stubborn and openly frustrated, but she had never seen the aggressive blood-hungry way he had been. Had she been on the receiving end of that anger. He said it was the darkness that brought on the rage. For when he had snapped out of it, he had become the person she knew him as. He had carried her to her room, like he knew she was too weak to stand. He knew her better than she seemed to know herself. After the fight, he had been back to his characteristic brooding mood.

"I just...wish he'd open up," she muttered, setting the bar of soap down.

Aqua gurgled from the bath water, "He's always been like that I'm afraid. Even when we were kids."

Moana joined them, "Closed off and grumpy. Thanks to him we're..." A large bubble burst, emphasizing her annoyance.

"We're alive because of him," Aqua said with exasperation. "If he hadn't done what he did..." She fumbled on her words. Right. The curse kept them from saying things clearly. Aqua sighed and a tendril of water snaked around one a bruised elbow, "Things might have turned out much differently. While this isn't a life we wanted, it's still living"

Elsa twirled a finger in the water. Moana had swirled to greet her finger. Her water tugs were always on the playful, bubbling side as opposed to Aqua, who liked to keep the water calm and soothing. Still living. She supposed if the choice had been death or watching her friends trapped in an element, she would have chosen the latter as well. A further punishment from…"Is the person who did this to you the one that sends those monsters?" She was just making an assumption.

After a brief pause, Aqua answered, "That's right. He's trying to wear Terra down and now that he knows the rose has been picked... It's only a matter of time before he tries to take over the Kingdom."

Elsa sat upright. Krokus and the other villages were down there. Villages that had taken a castle and the lord who lived in it long ago as a piece of history. A history that was rewritten so that, instead of a rightful ruler living up here trapped in the body of a beast kept by darkness, they didn't even exist at all. Storytellers just said the castle haunted by a monster was a child's story to keep people away from the mountains. She had only fought one of the monsters, and it had been a challenge even with Terra protecting her.

"And when Terra dies, my village will be in trouble…"

Hoisting herself out of the tub, Elsa grabbed one of the fine white towels hanging on the open armoire door. She rubbed all the moisture off her body, shivering as the cool mountain air hit her bare skin and covered her in goosepimples. The people of Krokus had to be told. They wouldn't listen to her, but they would listen to people with a high enough influence. She pulled out the blouse and skirt she wore that day and began buttoning herself up, not even bothering to put on undergarments. On Sven, she had gotten from here to Krokus in a few hours. It was more than enough time. She could go down the mountain and find Anna. Anna could then talk to Hans on her behalf. Elsa may not have liked Hans, but she did know he had some influence over the town.

"Someone's in a tizzy," Moana bubbled.

Elsa dried her hair, "I have to warn Anna. Even if it means..." But then she stopped. She promised Terra she would stay with him until the rose died. Asking to go before was…it wasn't fair to him. He had been trapped here fighting not only outside forces, but inside forces. What was it he said when they first met? 'hearing voices makes you question your sanity?' If she left, she was damning him. But if she stayed, the people would be unaware of the rising threat. Terra had been her friend. The elemental servants had been her friends. "If it means breaking my promise…" she said quietly.

"So... you'll leave?" Aqua asked sadly.

Elsa pulled her hair back into a bun clumsily. A pin bounced on the floor, letting sections of her hair frame her face. "Only for a few hours. Then I'll return."

"Are... you going to tell Terra?"

"Of course I am!" Elsa cried indignantly, "I'm not a selfish person. He saved my life, I owe him something." That something was trying to break this curse. She grabbed the door and rushed down the hall, leaving behind small puddles.

As she left, the two water elementals shared a laugh. They would be smiling, but the water bubbling counted for that. "At least she remembered clothes?" Aqua had quipped.


	12. Chapter 12: True Feelings

Elsa tucked her damp hair back. It was one thing discussing her plan with the servants, it was another talking to Terra about it. He was relying on her, and she had never asked to leave the grounds on the castle the time she was here. She had been here for a week; that was half the time she promised to stay with him. Would he still be angry? She glanced at the window. The sun was sinking low, casting shadows along the mountainside. The crystalline walls, which looked blue, were taking on a lavender hue. As she got closer to Terra's room, she frowned at a detail she had never noticed in the castle walls before.

The crystal was beginning to grow darker. Spidering cracks that were several shades darker than the walls were creeping through the stone. She ran her fingers along the trace of one. A noise like rollins stones and ice cracking rumbled upon impact. Stifling a gasp, Elsa backed away. So the darkness in Terra didn't only affect him. It affected the castle. It would probably affect the servants, his friends, as well.

Elsa found his door at the end of the hall. As she feared, the darkening crystals seemed to have a home base nearby. She reached for the door handle and paused when she heard Jack talking in a low whisper,

"Well, you know what she likes, right?'

There was a momentary pause. Terra answered the question, "Books?" She bit her lip to hold back her laugh.

Ven was laughing for her, though. "You're hopeless Terra."

"You've been with her for seven days. You saw her laugh and saw what made her smile."

Elsa decided that was her cue. Her raised her hand and knocked on the door. Ven and Jack's laughs floated on the wind, leaving the room silent. She cleared her throat, tasting the saltiness of regret and betrayal rise up. "Terra? Can we talk?"

" Uh...Come in?" He sounded surprised.

She placed her hand on the door and pulled it open. Much like her room, the space was wide with the crystalline walls. But unlike her room, the walls her different. There were no lit candles, so the room appeared to be darkened. The curtains, despite being ripped and shred asunder, blotted out any remaining light. The only source of light came from the dulling rose sitting in a small glass vase. She stepped over sheets and clothes that were carelessly tossed around. Some of the walls were marred with scratches she knew came from his claws. An unoccupied bed sat in one corner, and she almost shuddered seeing large spikes pointed at it. They were like the ice spikes and the thorn bushes, keeping him at bay if the beast within was aroused.

Yet as Elsa saw the hulking form of Terra waiting by the window, she knew the spikes didn't help. It made the situation worse if anything. He was trapped far more than she was. Burdened by his isolation and at the same time, isolated by the burden of his curse. She knew what it was like, to be held back by barbs and threats. Not ones implied to hurt, but ones that kept her from truly reaching her desires. Desires she had shared with Terra of all people, because he understood her social isolation better than anyone. He was facing her with his blue eyes widened in mixed expressions. Yet in them, she could see the slightest trace of joy. He was happy to see her.

Elsa stepped around the spikes and joined him by the window. From where she stood, his window had a perfect view of Krokus. She could see and hear the clock tower tolling the end of the day. The town looked like a toy village, where the people were tiny dolls going through their daily routine. She could almost smell the bread baking. The crisp winter air carried the smell of the wood smoke from several fires burning in the hearths. Normally, she would be by the fire now curled in a chair with a book. Instead, she was staring out at the star filled sky and the snow-covered grounds of the castle stretching out to point at where she had come from. She placed a hand on the table careful to avoid the rose, and was able to finally look him in the eyes.

The eyes had been the only human part of his appearance. Before, they had frightened her because of how out of place they had been. But now, she was looking at the blue irises. Blue, like hers. A few shades darker than hers. In them, she read a multitude of emotions. The most prominent was determination and resolve, but she saw the slightest hint of naïve curiosity, even a trace of shame. But above all else, his eyes were kind. Kind like his true nature.

"I wanted to thank you...again...for saving my life," she said.

Terra ran a paw through his mane, "I... of course... it was because of me you were in danger..."

Elsa smiled wistfully. Whenever he was embarrassed or flustered, he was genuine. He could put on a tough act or show off all he wanted, but this softer side was something she was growing accustomed to. Yet the constant blaming himself was starting to eat away at her. Just like the spikes, it was only making his beastly side worse. She looked out window, murmuring, "Anna's so blissfully unaware of the truth..."

"And... you want to warn her..." Terra was following her gaze. For a while, they just looked at each other without speaking. He had locked eyes with her briefly before looking down. "I see..." He sounded equal parts sad and betrayed.

Elsa shook her head. No. It was not her intention to make him sad. He had been angry, and she had never seen him sad. It was the second emotion she hadn't wanted to see. But maybe she had seen it before, in a subdued manner. "It'll only be a few hours. I promise. I said I would see this through until the end and I meant it."

Terra sighed, "I can't leave...I can't go with you..." He paced across the floor. Elsa looked after him, unsure if she should say something to lift his spirits, or to say something quiet. For a moment, he was looking back at the rose. Elsa followed his gaze to look at the flower. It was starting to ashen, the colors turning pale and the petals drooping. If she left, what would happen to the flower? She had seen the darkness taking over both him and the castle. It was his last hope, and the last she wanted was for him to die by succumbing to the darkness.

"I... know how important it is to you to warn her," he said.

Elsa nodded. "You'd do the same for your friends."

He simply nodded in agreement. He would have. She had seen him protect her. He would have done the same for the others if they were in her position. His undying loyalty was difficult to smite. This enchanter was seeming to try anything to snuff out whatever light was still in Terra.

"Elsa…"

"Yes, Terra?"

He was staring at her in a way she had never seen anyone look at her before. In so many books, she had read about people that stared at someone with devotion. The slight twinkle in their eyes. The smallest hint of a smile. The quiet tone of voice, like they would be punished for saying something out loud. She was experiencing with him as he just looked at her with her folded hands.

"You've made the last week amazing. I haven't been lonely. I have someone I can talk to and see."

"...And I'm not walking through the market being laughed at," Elsa said. She played with her messy pale blonde bun. She had never literally let her hair down, not counting when that dark creature had attacked them.

Terra reached up, making a slow motion as if to touch her, but stopped short when his claws got too close. He dropped his hand down, a sad gleam appearing in his eyes that made her heart clench. Elsa had let him carry her back. His touch didn't frighten her anymore. He had made no attempts to hurt her the times they were together. Taking his hand, she guided it so he was resting it comfortably on her shoulder. The warmth beneath his massive paws was gentle and comforting, and he was doing his best to not flinch away. This had been the closest they had been to physical contact that didn't involve accidents. As Elsa came closer to him, his other hand wrapped around the small of her back hesitantly. She basked in the hug, and she was sure he was doing the same.

"After... the rose dies you don't ever have to go back," he murmured, "You and your friend could stay in the castle."

Elsa laughed quietly, "An ice palace for an ice queen. You're too good to me."

The light dimmed from Terra's eyes as he looked at her. He was stern faced. Despite no longer holding her in a hug, he still had his hands placed gently on her. "You're not an ice queen...You deserve better than a castle alone."

Elsa felt her eyes watering. The village nickname for her had stuck to her like glue. The only person to never call her it was Anna. Now there was a second person who saw her as more than a glove merchant's daughter. More than a woman that protected her heart, but in so doing cast people away. He was saying she deserved better. She scrubbed at her eye to dry them.

"You're the first person that ever said that to me."

Terra blinked, "Not even from your friend?" His eyes steeled in annoyance. "I'm sorry... But she should have said it."

Elsa managed a weak smile. He was no monster like he kept declaring he was or what his physical appearance made him out to be. He lost his temper, but most often he could not control the anger; it was his curse. He wasn't angry at Anna, just irritated at how the well-meaning friendship was lost behind a simple word. Out of the corner of her eye, she swore the rose lifted its head, like it was listening on their conversation. He let out a sigh, which brought back the light in his eyes.

Seeing that light had given Elsa much needed hope and desire. Yet it didn't change the fact leaving him would be awful. She would plan on seeing Anna some time soon. Not now, but soon. Terra needed her, and to leave her friend was too cruel. He had said she made his life less lonely. Shattering that light, making everything darkness once again, was not what he needed. "Maybe tomorrow night we can...have a nice meal?" she suggested. Teasingly, she added, "It'll be a good test for your etiquette."

Terra's lips twitched. He had never smiled, but she always took the tiny lift in the corner of his snout as one. "I think we can do that."

Elsa smiled. Easing out of his hands, she backed away. It was best to let him sleep. He needed it after the rush he had defending her. "Um...See you tomorrow?"

He nodded. "Sleep well."


	13. Chapter 13: Hope of Wind and Water

The elementals wasted no time in discussing what had happened. The men had whipped around so much that almost all the doors and windows burst open, letting in small flurries from the outside. The women had been splashing about in their respective sources of water. They had been trapped as manifestations of water and wind for years. It had been no secret to the other two, but they had been two couples that had been friends with the prince.

Their romances had been vastly different from the one that they were playing stagehands to. For Jack and Aqua, it had been a relationship based on support and guidance. She had come from a village on the other side of the mountain where she had caught his eye. He had been at a tavern with the prince, enjoying company and laughing. His jaw almost hit the floor when he saw her with her blue hair and blue eyes, like something out of a fairy tale. His teasing and flirts and gone unnoticed by her. At first, he thought she was just playing hard to get. The truth was, she had been oblivious to his affections. Eventually, he broke down and confessed he wanted to court her. The prince had arranged something that made the courting even more special. Seeing her skills in magic, he hired her to become a mage for the castle.

As for Ventus and Moana, they had come from the southwestern isles. They had grown up as close friends. They had done everything conjoined at the hip from fishing in the warm waters and drawing lines and designs in the sands. Some nights, they had even fallen asleep under the stars listening to the sea crash against them. They had come to Krokus on a simple travelling expedition. Yet on their travels, the kind heart of Ventus had prompted them to assist a traveler looking for a palace in the north mountain. They obliged, agreeing to escort the traveler, where they had been thanked by both the elder, who had come seeking advice from the prince on holding back a darker force, and the prince himself. Before they could return, their ship had been stolen by pirates, and they had to go to the prince and beg for a passage home. Yet they were given a second option that they took after writing letters to home. Having been impressed with their skills in navigation and strong spirit, he had invited them to stay and fight.

When the curse had been laid, they were stripped off all physical mass. Enduring life as only wind and water, granted speech only at night, had been torture. There were some days where the lights were never on and they had to sit in darkness and silence. Yet with this new arrival, they were able to talk about something. Within the wind and water, something rippled that they never thought they could feel; hope.

The fountain in the landing had been their rendexvous point to talk. The water was clean and the wind would stir and touch it. In the rippling of the fountain, all four of their voices rose and fell with excitement.

"Do you still have some recipes?" Jack asked.

"I think so," Aqua answered, "why?"

Ven snickered, "Terra needs some He's…"

Aqua gasped. "He's going to cook for her? Terra? The guy who burns water?"

Jack laughed. "I know! He wants to impress her!"

Aqua joined in the giggles. "I'll think of a few recipes and come to him later so he can have time to prepare."

"If I were solid, I'd be kissing you"," Jack said lovingly. A tendril of ice crept to one side of the fountain. The star shapes twinkled in the blue crystalized lighting.

"I know you would," Aqua responded fondly. A tiny wave lapped from the edge of the fountain. The frost pattern was splashed, ushering an indignant cry from one elemental and a laugh from the other two.

"And how's Elsa?" Ven asked.

"Um…in shock? Blushing?" Moana answered. "It's a good sign."

Aqua rippled in a second layer of the fountain. "I know the recipes and what books. Though with Terra's claws? Can he turn pages?"

Jack hummed in thought, "He hasn't tried in years." Yet there had been an effort observed by the ice elemental. Whenever Elsa had finished reading, he would gingerly hold a book and try to practice turning the pages. No books had been harmed. Yet. But it was best not to take that risk.

"I can turn pages," Ven volunteered.

"There you go," Aqua said with pride. "He... might be good at fruit salad?"

"It'd be funny to watch him crack eggs," Ven chortled.

Moana made the water stir and she grumbled, "Are we trying to help hm or make fun of him?"

Ven was quiet before he answered nervously. "Some of column A and some of column B?"

"We could always do the prep work for him?" Aqua suggested.

"That seems fair," Moana said after some thought. "It's less work for him, more time with Elsa

Jack's snicker was full of glee. "Plus, it would be fun tossing stuff around without getting yelled at."

"We have to clean up after words!" Aqua chided.

Jack grumbled. The fountainhead, which was already frozen, began jagged and fuzzy with access ice. "Okay, fine. We'll be on cleaning duty."

Moana huffed, "Just because were elementals doesn't mean we're off chore lists." A wind blew across the water; Ven's way of patting her reassuringly without a hand.

Aqua bit back a laugh, "it wouldn't be very romantic for Elsa to find the kitchen a mess."

"Yeah fair point," Jack agreed.

"And if we become human again," Aqua continued, "we can show her how much that kindness meant to us."

Those two words struck a chord. Human again. To finally be able to hold things without them being too cold at the touch or falling right through. Being able to feel their feet on the solid ground, like the very earth their prince was named after. He had done much to keep himself, them, and the villages, safe. It was their turn to give him something worthwhile. Elsa had lifted his spirits and made him aspire to be a better person. They had never doubted him to begin with, yet the passing seasons had shown the darker side of their friend that, admittedly, frightened them. There was never even any talk of what would happen to them should Terra fail to recover this lost light. Aqua theorized they would remain elementals forever. Their state was just as much a punishment as his.

"So... you really think he likes her?" Ven asked.

Jack lifted a nearby tapestry to imitate a shrug, "I mean he hasn't seen a girl he genuinely wanted to court. Even before the curse."

Before the curse, not many women had garnered Terra's attention. The closest had been a brown-haired woman with eyes like emeralds. She was a commoner but had been a guest for a spring gala who won many people over with her kindness. He had frozen just from seeing her walk into the castle with flowers picked from her mountainside garden. It could have ended with him proposing to her. Despite her beauty and charm, he didn't have any courage to ask her on anything beyond one walk through the courtyards. She had left the gala on the arm of a raven-haired gentleman. She was happier with him. While she and Terra had been civil, the conversations had just been amiable, friendly, and that was it. He hadn't been showing mixed emotions for her like he had with Elsa.

"He wasn't this... civil with Elsa's friend Anna," Aqua said with remorse.

The enraged manner he had shown the ginger haired girl had been one of the worst moments they had seen. He had been known for his animalistic anger, but that response had been both the human and the beast. He had lunged into the fray of briars, issuing a scream from Anna, who had put up a fight as he had grabbed her cloak. The claws had raked the pink wool and he had dropped her off by the edge of the gardens, snarling and glaring; he didn't even use any human words with her. It had only been when a creature sent by Xehanort distracted him did he leave her alone, leading the servants to usher her inside with their wind and water, and keep her safe in the study.

"Tearing her cloak and growling at her was so polite," Moana said sarcastically.

"I'm just glad Elsa managed to see past that rough start…" Aqua said with relief. "I hope she can break the curse. Terra only has a few days left…"

"I mean... she would if only we could tell her how!" Ven groaned in frustration. The fringe of the tapestry danced around."

"But to be fair it was a vague..." Jack pointed out.

"Recover the light...HOW?!" The fountain bubbled with Moana's yell.

"She's smart," Aqua murmured. "I'm sure she would figure something out."

"It might be something Xehanort thought impossible," Ven said.

"This...date will make the last few days bearable," Moana murmured.

Ven agreed, "We really have to make this date count for him, for our sakes."

"We should probably prep everything before we can't talk about it. The sun could rise any moment," Aqua muttered.

Moana gave one last splash. "That...that's a good idea. Last one to the kitchen has to water the mulch!"

"No fair!" Ven cried, "You had a head start." The fountain gurgled and a bubble popped with a raspberry noise that echoed with Moana's laugh.


	14. Chapter 14: Modest Meals

The elementals may have agreed not to interfere too much, but they had decided to keep the pair separated for a while tp break down the nerves each side was showing. The divide and conquer method kept them away from one another with the wind blowing Terra into one room while the water guided Elsa in another direction. One was so red in the face she looked sick while the other kept looking at his paws with insecurity. Sometimes, the elementals would work as a group as they discussed. The water elementals ushered Terra to the library where they assisted in showing him recipes so he could decide what to make that would impress her. The wind elementals turned pages for him so he wouldn't be frustratedly ripping out pages. It was the best they could do in the morning without verbally speaking, but at least the couple was attuned enough to follow them wherever they were being guided

* * *

Elsa gave the stranger in the mirror a soft smile. The black and teal dress, the one she had worn her first night in the castle and was by far her prettiest dress, hung on her body. Water was rippling through her fingers as she ran them through her hair, weaving the pale blonde hair into a braid that fell over her left shoulder. She had never let her hair down before, at least, not in a traditional way.

From the water basin, Aqua caught a gasp in her throat. "You need to wear your hair like that more often."

Elsa's face turned pink. "I...it's just the first time I ever...well, been on a date." She ran a hand on the turquoise skirt. "But, I'd rather have a date with him than anyone down in Krokus."

Aqua bubbled, "From what you said there wasn't anyone noteworthy aside from your friend?"

Moana spoke up from the pitcher. "There was that Hans guy…"

Elsa cringed at the name. She had been in the castle for about a week. Thoughts of Hans had been gone for a while, and now they were coming back. She didn't want to think of his smile. She wanted to think of how she'd spend this evening with Terra, before going to warn her friend of the potential danger. "Anna likes him, I want nothing to do with him."

The girls made hums of agreement. Suddenly, Moana gurgled. "Um, not to be mean about the dress, but…I was wondering if we could just…fancy it up a little…""

Elsa paused. Fancy it up? The silk was one of the most expensive things her father had received as a merchant. Water would only ruin the material. She picked up the pitcher and water basin. "Maybe not this one, It's….it's special."

"Fair enough," Aqua murmured. "What else is in there?"

Elsa returned to the wardrobe. Apart from the dress she brought, there were a few other gowns, but some she didn't even dream of wearing, like the one with a neckline so low, her breasts would have fallen out of the bodice. Finally, she found a large teal ballgown with white decorations resembling the branches of snowflakes. The sleeves were a mint green mesh and sat to about her wrists. She picked up a handful of her skirts and spun, admiring the simplicity yet elegance of the gown. She would have never worn something like these before.

After smoothing her braid one last time, Elsa took a breath. Hiding in this room forever was not an option. Not anymore. She opened the door and approached the main stairwell. Her palms grew cold with dread and she bit her lip. Was this a good idea after all? Would Terra even show up, leaving her at the stairs?

She heard the slightest trace of footsteps and she breathed. As she turned the corner, she saw him. Gone were the muddied, ragged pants. Instead, he was donning a weathered down coat made form a leather a few shades between orange and brown over a pair of somewhat tailored gray pants. A gray silken shirt, slightly nicked from the claws, clung to him a bit tight. He was pacing on the landing, glancing around wearily. After a few paces, Elsa announced she was there by just clearing her throat. He stopped pacing and stared at her for a few seconds.

"Elsa... you look..." Finally, he found words again, "you look beautiful."

Beautiful. Many people threw that word to her. Back then, that was all it was. A word. But when he said it, her entire face turned pink. A grin plastered itself onto her face. The small giggle that came out was subdued. "Thank you," she murmured.

Descending to meet him, Elsa had to check her breathing. Was she actually breathing? Was she doing this right? Was her dress going to rip and she'd embarrass herself? _Okay, get it together. He's the only one with you and he just called you beautiful. That should count for something._ He offered an arm and after a while, she accepted.

"Um…" Elsa floundered, "how…how have you been?"

"…I've been okay," he answered. "I... things have been much better since you've come up here." There was a pause, and he added, "I mean it." He was pointedly not looking at her. She fiddled with her braid with a smile. He was leading her to the dining room, which he opened and gestured for her to enter.

" I... uh don't cook often so... if it's bad I won't be upset," he stammered.

One look at the table and Elsa couldn't stop the smile spreading. Two little plates had been set up for them both. Much like their first meal together, it was quaint. Small slabs of something buttered, while clumsily cut, were presented for her. A pretty little fruit salad, chopped a bit messily but nonetheless presented well, sat on the left hand side of the plate. There was no sign of a large hunk of meat thawing over the fire. Come to think of it, Elsa hadn't smelled anything remotely familiar to a roast or anything particularly fancy. A sweet, rich smell filled her nose; chocolate.

"What's that smell?" she asked. Along with the chocolate was something along the lines of exotic spices.

"Um…French toast?" Terra said with uncertainty.

Elsa smelled the air again. What all went in French toast? It was…sweet yet also savory. Like he knew her secret sweet tooth. "It's…it's perfect." Her voice choked on a sob and her hands covered her mouth. She was hiding the too large of a smile. She had people cook for her before, but as a labor of trying to impress her? She never experienced anything like it. She was touched, too, by how he was overcoming his obstacles. The things he viewed as dark and evil, he was using to try and impress her. Hans would have pulled out stops based on no one's preference but those of society; something Elsa disagreed with. Terra had won her over with simple plates of toast and chocolate. "You did this for me?" she asked. He nodded with the equivalent of nervous grin. Before, she would have flinched at the pointed teeth. Instead, she was smiling and laughing amid watering eyes. "Never in all my years had anyone done something like this for me..."

Terra frowned as she scrubbed at her eyes. "Please don't be upset!"

Elsa laughed quietly, dabbing away the water. "Upset? Why would I be upset?"

"But... you look like you're going to cry?"

"Haven't you ever seen anyone cry from happiness?"

"No I can't say I have." After waiting for her to lower her hands, he led her to a chair by the table. "I hope it tastes the way it smells?"

"Only one way to make sure." She took her knife and fork and cut into the small placement. The bread was spongy and wafted with the spices. The last time she ever smelled these had been when Anna became hopelessly obsessed with the cinnamon rolls in the village square. The edges were slightly blackened, yet the center was still warm and soft. She chewed, testing the palette and swallowed. A roll of spice came in the back of her throat, exploding with flavors that were not unpleasant but perhaps a bit much. "Not bad. A bit over spiced but still edible."

"So…not bad for my first attempt?" he asked meekly.

"Much," Elsa nodded. She laughed. "I remember my first attempt at cooking. Everything stuck to the pan and went black."

"I never had to cook before. Aqua always took care of it."

Elsa took a sip of the warmed chocolate. Much like the toast, it was slightly burned. "I used to have a maid before my father passed. She was...a replacement for my mother; Sort of a replacement parent when my father would be gone on business trips." It had been the first time she had ever brought up her family to him. She had mentioned her father being a glove merchant, but she never went into the details of her home life. All Terra seemed to know was her routine of being a merchant's daughter that had one friend. She knew that, deep down, she was ready to let him in to more personal matters. Discussing friends had only been one step.

"Did your father do that often? Leave I mean?" Terra asked.

Elsa swallowed the chocolate, letting its taste linger for a moment. The taste reminded her of loneliness and disappointment. Disappointment he would be gone taking care of business, far too busy to even know his daughter paced the floor for him. The only gifts he left for her, to let her know she was safe, had been a gift of cyan blue satin gloves; his trademark pair. Thinking of those gloves, and how she put them on every day when was gone, and how her hands were no longer coated, made her nod. "He'd take time for me, albeit not much."

Not much. He was around for perhaps two days before going off on a business proposition for two weeks. Elsa saw something gleam in Terra's blue eyes and she wanted the floor to swallow her. He was looking at her in pity. The darker tones of the chocolate were rearing their heads, and she swallowed the bittersweet taste back.

"It was better than nothing," she offered, hating to hear the words come out of her own mouth.

Terra reached a hand across the table. No longer a paw in her eyes. It was just a fur coated hand with long nails. "I'm so sorry you went through that," he said softly.

Elsa curled her fingers over his. "Your incredible concern for my well-being never ceases to amaze me, Terra." It was the truth. He always did everything to protect her. Or save her. No one had ever come to her rescue, except Hans and even then, those rescues were just publicity stunts or making a big deal out of something mundane. Terra fussed over making sure she was secure and protected. At times, it could be annoying. At least he hadn't starting lurking around corners spying on her, not counting the time he listened in on her reading.

If he were capable of showing a blush beneath the fur, Terra would have. Yet his fur stood on end very slowly before coming back down, which she took as his blush. "You're my guest and... my first friend outside of the castle."

She looked up at him, "Funny, I was going to say you're my first friend besides Anna."

"Another first for us both," he said,

"Should we start counting our firsts?" she joked.

Terra shrugged. "I'm not sure. I have a feeling Jack would say something bad if we did. Along with a slew of inappropriate jokes."

Elsa rolled her eyes. The white haired spirit was the troublemaker of the bunch. She remembered one time she had gotten in the bath find the water chilled. A laugh and a tangle of frost had clued her in. Aqua had stood up for her by splashing water from the tub onto the frost and asking Elsa to wait as she worked with Moana to get it back to the desired temperature.

The temperature reminded her of the rose. She said a few days ago that it would last for a certain number of days. The time had been passing by here, and she was beginning to lose track of the ays the longer she stayed. Stay until the rose died; that was her deal. As she picked at the fruit salad, she tasted something floral. She never had anything like it. It was unusual, but not awful.

"You're making a face. I didn't ruin the salad too, did I?" he panicked.

Elsa help up her fork. "No, I'm just…adjusting to the new flavor."

He sighed in relief. She noticed that, unlike the first few meals, he was handling silverware. He was making an effort to act the part of a gentleman. The fork in his hand still had a grape impaled on one end. "I, uh, tossed them in rose water. It was Aqua's suggestion."

She licked her lips again. That was what it was! Rose water. The floral taste had been from roses. "So, there are some roses still blooming?"

"In the greenhouse," he answered. "The ones outside are long gone."

"You have a greenhouse?" she asked.

He nodded. "I can show you."

She looked down at their plates. The modest meal was still being eaten. One he worked incredibly hard for to impress her. Well, color her impressed. He was behaving in a princely manner. The darkness was starting to disappear from his façade. It had been a while since any monsters attacked since the large one, so he was no longer tense. If he was, it was out of nervousness. "Can we finish this meal first?" she asked. "It better when it's hot."

Terra chuckled nervously. "Oh. Right."

This warranted a laugh from her. He was pointedly not looking at her, staring down at the food. They went back to eating, making small talk here and there, laughing at one another's comments and stories. Elsa found her smile spreading wider every passing second. Even the pauses in silence were met with smiles. It was at one moment, when she accidentally popped a grape out of the bowl and it rolled onto the table, that she caught sight of their hands. They had fallen on top of one another once more.


	15. Chapter 15: Inner Demons

Terra breathed as he used the talon to snip off a final cutting. Ever since he had told Elsa about the greenhouse, he had forgotten for a time he had used it as a sort of sanctuary. His father would often meditate here, and now he knew why. The fragrances of the different flowers invoked different feelings of calmness. The warmth had been maintained by Ven, and the watering had been maintained by Moana. Even as elementals, they had kept to their duties. The flowers that couldn't bloom in the harsh mountain environments were kept locked tight. How long had it been since he walked in here? Besides the obvious need of pruning, the flowers didn't look that old.

He came in here to surprise Elsa. Dinner had gone perfectly. There was no bickering, no looks of uncertainty, and no running away. He had behaved like a proper gentleman. They had held hands. He was in a mindset he couldn't quite place. The one thing he did know was, well, thinking of her put him at ease. Whenever thoughts of darkness started to show, they went away. She made him feel...happy.

He had no idea what she'd think of the flowers he had managed to cut. Her favorite color was lavender, she had said. A light purple. So, he had made a very ill cut bouquet of purple flowers, including a few white roses.

This made Terra think of the lavender rose. Maybe that was why her friend had picked it; not only was a rose something she had wanted, but it had been her best friend's favorite color. Terra still felt guilt for the way he reacted. It wasn't like he could leave the grounds to go and apologize. Elsa had mentioned wanting to leave. But his blood ran cold just thinking of her being gone. Without her, he'd be doomed to watch the rose die. No one would distract him from the darkness, or make him happy.

But to keep her here against her will was the worst thing he could do to her. All he wanted was her happiness. He wanted to keep her light…

Light.

That was Xehanort said would break his curse. Find his light. Was Elsa the key to getting close to breaking the curse? He knew it was in her, despite her chills. He had seen in her laughter and smiles. Anything to keep that light from going out, he would make happen.

Suddenly, something rustled outside. The noise was too quiet to be a creature of darkness. Yet he could sense that darkness. That sensation of being hot and cold at the same time. It was a powerful feeling that he dreaded every time. He left the courtyard and narrowed his eyes to the snowy hedges. Someone was on his land, someone that wasn't here by accident.

As he rounded a bend, Terra froze. The shadow here was not a strange concoction. This creature was humanoid in appearance. Darkness radiated off its body in swarms of black and blue. Worse of all, it resembled the last person he wanted to see; the enchanter that started it all.

"The roses are gone and yet you still stand." Despite speaking like Xehanort, the voice was distorted. "Let that anger out! Give yourself fully over to the darkness. You are so close to it, and yet you fail to take the final plunge!"

Terra felt his lips peel back into a snarl. The last time he tapped into the darkness, Elsa had been injured. Severely. He remembered the fear in her eyes and how bruised she had been. Terra stood his ground. He flexed his claws. His muscles tensed. The fur was rising. He could feel the dark energy coursing through him as he glared at the figure. No one was going through this barrier, not without facing him.

The shadow-Xehanort's yellow eyes gleamed. "Yes, boy…you're spurned by something." The shadow stalked around him. "You destroyed the largest being I have sent a few days ago. You fought it with so much darkness. If I recall, you couldn't handle it when we first met. Have you finally accepted it, then? It would explain why you are still alive."

Terra stole a look to the bouquet he once held. The flowers had become dried husks of the what they were. No! They were going to be given to her, and now they were ruined. He dug into the ground, clawing at the snow-packed dirt. The raking of the claws seeped some of the darkness into the earth, and it soothed him. The cold snow seeped through the warmth of his palms. That chill flooded him of thoughts of ice…of falling snow…of a beautiful woman rushing through the snow with a blonde braid.

"Elsa…"

The shadow seemed to raise an eyebrow. "Elsa, you say."

Terra gritted his teeth. "Don't…touch her."

The shadow was silent, just pacing around him once more. "Is she the last bit of light within you? Where is she, then? Hiding in fear of your visage?" He ignored the angry snarl and continued to speak, "You've let her see the darkness and yet she fears you still. She said she wanted to leave you…"

"She said she'd come back. After she warned her friend…about you."

A grim chuckle rumbled from the shadow. "Where is the final rose, Terra?"

"It's…it's wilting," He hung his head.

The shadow stopped. "Wilting?"

"It was picked. It was…something out of my control…"

"Shortening its life cost you the life of you and your friends."

"Elsa returned it here," Terra muttered. "She saved it, only for a little while. It revives every time I'm with her, when I think about her."

The shadow's laugh was amused, but threatening. "Prelonging its life so you can find the time to reverse my curse. How courteous of her."

"More courteous than you were. You think stripping me of my human body is going to make me join your cause?"

The shadow shifted. In the swirls of darkness, it took on a new form. Seeing it made Terra's heart beat quicker. The body straightened up and a messy head of hair emerged. The only thing that stayed the same were the yellow eyes. If Terra had still been human, he would be looking in a mirror, and the reflection would have been made of soot and ash.

"Darkness suits you better," the shadow taunted. "and yet you resist it. Do you think you can fully be rid of it now that it climbs through your very being? This Elsa only hinders your progress in handling the darkness. Perhaps I should pay her a visit, fill her own heart with her own insecurities. It has become colder up here…"

Terra growled, "What do you mean?"

"She has a cold shoulder. I suppose that's what draws you to her. What goes better together than cold and dark?"

Terra lunged through the shadow, claws first. As he burst through it, only one emotion filled his entire mind. His vision began to blur between bright lights and strange blotches of shadow. He tried to right himself, but all he did was fall onto all fours. He tried to call out to the enchanter, but all that came out was a roar. He dug his claws into the grass, feeling the roots holding plants rip beneath him. He liked it. He continued to pad around, stealing glances at every little thing that moved. He was bigger than them, and stronger. He pounced at something rushing away in a bush, where it disappeared in a wisp. Every movin thing was crawling towards him, and he was willing to beat them all. They had hurt his friends, his garden, someone staying with him. He would not let the darkness have her. It could take him, but not her. Not her…not her…

"Terra?"

His vision was slightly blurred, but he could make out Elsa's face. He was no longer outside or near the greenhouses. She was looking down at him. Her blue eyes, blue like a winter sky, were widened. Something warm was pressed onto his head. She was kneeling over him, smiling ruefully over him. Her fingertips were tracing his fur, gently.

"Elsa…." He breathed, "what happened?"

She hesitated. "I heard you make this…noise…like a scream mixed with a roar. It scared me. I ran outside as fast as I could. I couldn't find you. The sky was…dark."

Terra's heart sank. Dark. Darkness spread out by him. It was his fault. That shadow that Xehanort sent. It wasn't just any monster for him. That shadow had been his own darkness personified. By attacking it, he had let it back in. The rose's death would be the end of him, but not as a beast. That was what the enchanter was doing. He was killing Terra as a human. When the rose died, he'd lose contact with everyone who ever cared about him.

"Elsa…I'm sorry…the darkness was my fault."

She pressed her hand against him once more. Her touch was inviting, and he leaned into it. She was being far too forgiving, far too kind. "I won't let it take you. It can take me…but not you."

Elsa frowned and lowered her hand. "Darkness takes us all, Terra. It's only a matter of how much we let in." A wet rag slipped from atop his head and fell into her waiting palm. "I know why you're fighting these things, but you passed out trying to fight this. You…" she gestured to his arm. It was here that he noticed the bandages applied to one arm. While he had been out, she had gotten him inside and was making sure he was all right. He had been so used to Aqua using a healing spell to close scratches and other wounds. He was asking too much of Elsa. "…you mean well, truly, but you can't just conquer darkness with just sheer force."

Terra winced as he tried to sit up. What was she talking about? It wasn't like she was plagued by dark monsters every day? All because of a refusal to help someone that would hurt others. She was too good. He had been so awful to her and to others. He didn't deserve forgiveness.

Elsa frowned. "There you go again, letting the darkness drag you down." She placed the wet rag on an injury he had obtained in his blind fight against the darkness. "The creatures you face are ones you see. The ones you can't see, or the ones that resemble you, are the worst."

"How do you know?" he asked in bewilderment.

She closed her eyes. "Because when I looked in the mirror at myself, I saw the person I never wanted to be. The tight bun and the conservative clothing was something society wanted, not what I wanted." It was here that he noticed her hair was braided again, and her dress was looser. She looked…free. "That was my darkness, Terra. I was so driven by what people thought of me, that I let it consume me."

Terra was silent. Had that been why the shadows kept attacking him? Because he was still holding onto the darkness? He had made a promise to try and stop it. Instead, he was doing the opposite. He was letting it in. Elsa said that it couldn't be stopped…then how could be break his curse? He flumped backwards onto the pillows with a frustrated huff. Elsa stood up when he did. Her expression was partially scolding, to which she responded,

"Try to rest. You'll be better tomorrow."

She was right. The next morning, Terra awoke feeling refreshed. He stole a glance over at the rose as he rolled off the unmade bed. It was revived slightly, albeit wrinkled at the edges. How many days had it been now? He was beginning to lose track. Especially if the rose kept going in and out of conscious living like this. It would die eventually like…

The flowers!

With a quick bound outside, Terra ran back to the greenhouse. The flowers he had gathered for Elsa before he was attacked by his own inner beast still lay on the ground. They were drooping from lack of water, but they were still alive. The desire to see her face light up was prompting him to rush to her quickly and present them as best he could. But running too fast would cause more damage. So, Terra found an alternative and cantered his way back to the castle.

Terra searched the castle in all of Elsa's usual haunts. She wasn't by the fountain, nor in the library. Even her bedroom door was left ajar. His heart began racing. Where was she? She couldn't have left the castle grounds. He peered around the corners of curtains and sniffed the air. He heard something in the dining room and followed the noise. Unless it was Ven pranking him, she had to be the source of it.

Elsa was holding a lit lantern as she explored the cluttered storage of the kitchen. She was looking for something, careful to keep the light away from her braid. She had kept the hairstyle ever since Aqua had complimented her on it. It was quicker to maintain and less work than a bun. Once she found what she was looking for, she'd find Terra. He had surprised her pleasantly one night. The weather was starting to get warm around the afternoons despite the chill, so she wanted to spend some time outside. Now if only she could locate something. The elementals had guided her here to grab it, but it was difficult to find…

…until a large shadow shifted in her peripheral vision, making her shrink back with a gasp.

"Elsa?"

A familiar voice came from the shadows. Elsa breathed a sigh of relief. There was no true monster in this castle. Only Terra.

"Terra! What are you doing in here?" she set the lantern down by a pile of pots.

"Looking for you. I, um," he held up the hastily cut flowers. The haphazard cut had them askew, but she was flattered by the gesture. Giggling, she accepted them and took in their smell. "I got these from the greenhouse."

Elsa inhaled a large star shaped lily. "They're beautiful. Thank you. Um, you think I can find a vase in here?"

Terra scooted some pots aside. A chipped pitcher was found behind them, and he held it out with a nervous grin. Elsa laughed and accepted it anyways, filling it with water before setting the arrangement inside. He stole a glance at her before repeating her question. "What are you doing?"

Elsa smoothed her braid. "I…was looking for a basket. Since you were so nice in treating me to dinner, I wanted to return the favor."

"And what do you need a basket for?"

Elsa blinked at him. "You never had picnics outside with your friends?"

Terra shook his head. "It's been so long…I guess I forgot how it felt."

Elsa hummed thoughtfully. "Well, we're going to fix that. That gazebo in the garden offers the best view outside. There's still snow on the ground, and unlike you, I don't have a fur coat to protect me." She pushed aside a bucket and triumphantly held it out. She rushed past him to pack up what looked like the longest sandwich in the world She heard him quietly laugh and she felt her cheeks redden. Yes, she was impressed by his cooking but he had never witnessed her ability to improvise food from scratch, Anna had taught her the art of the sandwich.

But before she could walk outside, Terra placed a hand next to her. "Wait, Elsa…"

Elsa hesitated. "What is it?"

Terra gave a heavy sigh. "I know why you're doing this. You want to repay me back. But it's not safe."

She nodded. "Yes. It isn't. But the castle grounds are safe. We'll find somewhere secluded yet close by, so if there is trouble, we can go back in. Does that sound fair?"

He thought about it. She had been attacked by the dark monsters, yet when he was overtaken, she had pulled him back inside. She had broken away the shadows and secured him someplace safe. Saying nothing, he pushed aside some pots to find a small wicker basket. Perfect.

Elsa had shooed him out so she could prepare the food to surprise him. Coincidentally, the meat he had roasted became the main filling for the sandwich, which was leaking savory juice through the crispy bread. He was right; it was better warm. A few apples and a bottle of a peach flavored wine were added to the basket. He led them to the greenhouse where they could eat in the warmth.

She had never seen him act like the strange animal hybrid he was, but in the warmth, Terra was showing many different signs. The ear twitch made her snicker. A buzzing noise had him alert slightly. Yet her favorite had been when they accidentally grazed hands reaching for an apple, and when she rested her hand on top of his. He had let out a slow rumbling noise like a purr. He looked away, clearing his throat and he had to look away to avoid him seeing her too big of a grin.


	16. Chapter 16: Brick by Brick

Snow was falling again, and Elsa didn't know what to think. This would be her last night with Terra before she had to go down the mountainside to talk to Anna about this dark threat. But the thought of leaving Terra alone pierced her heart. He had been weakened by the darkness, so much so that he had become physically injured. She had been nursing him with the assistance of the elementals, and every time she glanced at the rose, its appearance kept changing. Some days it just looked a touch dehydrated while other days it looked ready to crumble into dust. Terra's mental state seemed to be the influence on the rose. When he was healthy, the rose was healthy. When he was saddened or tired, it drooped its head and began shedding petals.

One night, he had stopped her from going back to her room. He hadn't said anything. All he had done was lay a hand over hers. Ven had insisted he needed to go and rest. Elsa agreed with Ven, saying she would be back in the morning. Only then did Terra lift his hand off and let her leave.

She had kept that promise, and when she came to check on him, Terra was sitting up. He had been quiet when Elsa checked the injury. There were still very thin scars, but he was fine nonetheless. He glanced over to the rose and she followed suit. Today, the lavender rose appeared to be in a strange in between. The color looked fresh, but the petals looked heavy and drooping.

"…A few more days, and it won't keep up its tricks," Terra sighed. "I even changed the water to keep it alive longer."

Elsa hummed in thought. "Are you sure caring for it is all you've done?"

"I guess," he said. "It's lasted far longer than we thought…"

Elsa smiled wearily. "Yes, I guess it has." She played with her braid, rippling over the green and black dress she had crafted herself. "I…well, I know that I said I'd go see Anna, but…"

"But what?" Terra looked long and hard at her. "Elsa, we both knew this was going to happen. So, it's okay…please don't worry..."

So he had given up after all this time. Elsa's eyes began to burn and blur. No, she hated crying in front of him. Because he had told her one day seeing her upset made him feel like he had done something wrong. He never stopped her crying, though. He let her weep, even let her rant and express emotions, which had been something she could never do in front of so many people who had seen her as the pretty glove merchant's daughter. The Ice Queen who never cried or showed emotions except for a stoic, cold face.

She scrubbed at her eyes. A few tears had escaped and were just sitting on the edges of her eyes. "Don't worry?" she repeated his words. "Terra, you're my friend! I don't want to…"

"Elsa."

He said her name firmly. After a while, she looked up at him. He was frowning down at her. His blue eyes were glimmering with disapproval. That and perhaps a bizarre mix of sadness and acceptance.

"it's best to enjoy the time that we have," Terra murmured.

Elsa looked again at the rose. That was true. The rose was on its last legs. She fulfilled her end of the bargain. She had stayed until the rose had died. And he would let her go. The crystal palace would be hers. No one in the village would ever bother her this high up.

Yet, the magic of the ice palace didn't appear the same without Terra. Or the elementals. His fate was already sealed, but what of theirs? She assumed if the rose died, they'd be let lose, returning to the wind and water. But like Terra, they had once been human too, and incredibly very close. Betraying them would be horrible. Especially after they treated her with such kindness. They had become friends to her, just as Terra had. It made her heart ache that she would have to leave.

* * *

The snow had started falling the minute right after breakfast. Ven had played around with his warm breeze. He had ruffled Terra's mane so it became overly poofed, making her laugh. He had faked being disgruntled, but between the snort was something like a laugh. He had eaten, once again, like a man. Since the snow was driving hard, he suggested they spend time just hanging in the reading nooks to avoid being overly cold. She agreed. It was while walking down the halls that Elsa had noticed something she had never thought to look for. The fur on him before had been darker. It was still a dark rich brown, but the shades were lighter.

Terra must have caught her staring, because he stiffened. "What is it?"

Elsa rubbed the back of her neck. "I just…noticed that you…look less dark."

Terra blinked. "I do?"

Elsa nodded. "And the castle has grown brighter, too. It would only get dark…whenever you felt dark. Unless it's Jack doing some strange fractal work, it's the only thing I can think of that makes sense."

"I…gave a lot of thought to what you said. About the darkness."

"You have?"

"…You were right. I can't get rid of the darkness inside of me. It will always be there, but I'm refusing to let it control me. That had been my biggest mistake. I was so fixated on removing the problem, I let it fester and grow. As such…it…" He was cut off by a strange noise coming from his throat. Oh, right. He couldn't talk about the curse.

He didn't need to say anything else, though, because she finished it for him. "…it made cursing you easy."

Terra nodded his head heavily. "My time alone made it worse. Sure, my friends would come to me every night, but that was the only time I saw them. I…felt them, or at least, very faint presences of them. It wasn't until the first week of being stuck in this…body…that I started recognizing them. I could feel Jack's cold breezes and distinguish Moana's water splashes from Aqua's just from the size of the ripples. I don't know what will happen to them when the rose dies…it was…implied they'd die with it."

Elsa frowned. From what she was being fed, this was a cruel curse. Not only would the elementals watch someone who had sacrificed themselves to keep everyone safe, but they would no longer be physical. Yes, the five of them would die together, but not in the same way. She looked out at the driving snow. The greenery of the garden was beginning to turn white. It would be a heavy snow. One that would make hiking down the mountain too dangerous. He said she'd freeze if she tried going alone, and he couldn't go with her.

"Terra…when you said you couldn't go with me, did you mean that you couldn't or that you wouldn't?" she asked.

He was astonished for the briefest moment. He looked away, following her gaze to the white flurries as they spun around. "To be honest, I don't know. If I leave the castle, I'm not sure what will happen to the others…"

"So…you never tried to leave the grounds?"

"…Once. And I didn't even go that far." Terra murmured. "You know those spikes of ice? I was down there, giving my more…inhuman reflexes…a test. I got too close to someone. Their fight or flight reflexes kicked in…at first, they chose to fight." A hand came up dangerously close to his chest. It was here that Elsa could see a very small x-shaped scar. Had that gone deeper, it would have hit him straight in the heart. "but when I tapped into the darkness along with those animalistic traits…they chose flight. I can still hear his screams in my head.

"I thought I was going to freeze to death. But then I felt Jack and Aqua's presence. They were the ones that created the ice spikes. Aqua chastised me for being so careless. Saying I was…not honoring my father's memory for what I had done." He sighed with a tremor running through that Elsa couldn't decide was a shudder or a growl. "I never wanted to make the same mistake again…"

"And the garden walls were grown by Ven and Moana…" Elsa murmured, "to keep you fenced in."

Terra nodded. It would appear there was an invisible wall, too. One he had created out of his own fear and anger. Brick by brick, it grew. His isolation had fed it, locking away the human he had been once upon a time. In its place, a well-meaning but misunderstood creature remained. Or rather, what passerby perceived as a creature. Really, it was just someone trying to save his humanity…the scrap he had left, along with the remnants of his childhood friends.

Elsa looked away from the snow. Moping about the fact she couldn't climb down the mountain was distracting her. She was here with Terra. He was her only friend, and he said himself they had to enjoy the time that they had. There was no threat to warn Anna about. Not anymore, at least.

"Um, so…what have you been reading?" Terra's awkward question took her by surprise.

"Oh. Um, well I read something that…well…you may like."

* * *

Lunch had been served to them in the library. Elsa and Terra were nestled together in front of a great fireplace. The thick crusts of sandwiches had been the remnants of the food they had devoured. Yet they both had been captivated by the story Elsa had been reading out loud.

"…and through Gerda's brave sacrifice, Kai's heart was thawed, and he was no longer a boy solid ice. When he thawed, Gerda embraced him. Only then did the Snow Queen release them. For as the people of the valley knew…love will thaw." She shut it with a smile "The end."

Terra sat back with a relaxed sigh. At this point he was teasing her by being so close. She could smell the earthy undertones of the mountain wafting through. There was no more musty smell, the smell of darkness, wafting from him. He looked at her earnestly.

"If we had time, I'd take you up there."

"Up where?"

"To the North Mountain. So, you can see the northern lights."

"Oh, Terra…you don't have to….How about at least have one last dinner tonight? That way you'll have memories of the lights to keep you from going dark again."

He smiled. "I can live with that. Can you…read that story again, Elsa?"


	17. Chapter 17: Snow Glows Bright

"So, you want us to do…what?" Jack asked.

Terra took a breath and repeated his request. "Since I can't exactly take her to the North Mountains, I want to bring them here."

Ven tried to bite back a laugh. "I mean, I guess we can…do that. Maybe not discretely but…"

Terra flicked away the final splinter of wood on the project he was creating. He had the whole dinner planned his head, but if he knew Elsa, there would be far more at stake than just getting words out and sharing a meal over a candlelight. The snow was glimmering white, almost blue, against the sides of the crystal palace from his view on the window. He knew of another way down the mountain and he'd tell her. After he said what he wanted to say. If he didn't tell Elsa the truth now, he would die with it as one of his last regrets.

He had felt nothing for the past few years. It was so funny how the outside world continued to prosper and grow, yet he still stayed young as he had the day he was cursed. He should have been well in his early thirties by now. Yet he still acted like the nineteen-year-old prince he had been when he had been struck by Xehanort. Elsa had said he was losing the sheen of darkness, and as he stared at the oversized arm that once held his armor, he could see she was right. Honestly, Elsa coming to him had made him feel something he hadn't felt for thirteen years.

Hope.

Not so much a hope of breaking the curse. The rose was on its last bit of life. He had come to accept that he would die with it. Elsa had grown emotional, and he'd be lying if he didn't understand why. Terra had found hope of helping someone live, and it would be his final promise. Terra had grown fond of her, too. He still pictured her ice colored eyes looking up at him, ironically brimming with warmth. Even the way she tightened her lips when she was upset had been precious. She had literally started letting her hair down around him. He still remembered that smile of when he said she was 'beautiful'. The truth was, she was. Someone like her didn't need to be plagued with so much sadness.

Terra held aloft his finished product. "I…do need some help finishing this up."

Jack feigned an enthused gasp. "You want _us_ to help you with your wood carving!"

Terra imitated as best of a scowl as he could. "This is special. I don't want to mess this up."

Ven and Jack both turned the piece of wood Terra had been working with over and over. As they studied it, Terra stared down at the gray silk shirt and even darker grey jacket. These had belonged to his father before he had passed. He wasn't sure how his larger body would fit into them, but it was the closest thing to a nice attire he had. He wanted to make this a night Elsa wouldn't forget. She deserved it for everything he had ever done for her.

"Hold on," Ven's warm wind zipped behind, lifting the jacket up. "We don't need your claws cutting this to ribbons."

"While you're doing that, I'm going to check on the ladies," Jack chuckled

Elsa didn't even recognize the girl in the mirror. Her dress had been a sky blue piece of velvet with a sweetheart neckline, flanked by long sleeves a few shades lighter. Moana and Aqua had used their water magic to apply powders to make her lids purple and her lips berry pink. A few diamond hair pins were cascading down her braid, courtesy of Aqua's water magic.

"You look beautiful…" Moana cooed from a rose-petal dotted basin. The rose water had been applied as a perfume.

Aqua cleared her throat. "Elsa…that offer stands to make the dress a bit more..memorable."

Elsa picked up the water pitcher. Aqua had made this offer the first night, too. To patch up a dress Elsa had found too precious to touch. But this dress was borrowed. It was beautiful, but perhaps a bit too plain. Terra wanted to impress her, and she should do the same. "All right." She poured a thin stream of water directly onto the floor. "Work your magic, Aqua."

"No fair!" Moana sulked, splashing a rose petal onto the floor. "I want to help too!"

Elsa laughed. "Okay, fine. You can help."

After pouring some of Moana's water onto the floor, Elsa stayed perfectly still. The chill of the water seeped through her skirts, making her shiver. As the water climbed, the velvet became a different material. Something that sparkled and was a distinct shade between turquoise and sky. The rosemailing blossomed into an explosion of something that resembled diamonds which fell all the way down the bodice. The neckline disappeared, leaving just the tips of her shoulders bared. The long sleeves became a powder blue, also glittering.

"I…." Elsa gasped, staring at the dress. "I don't know what to say…" As she lowered her hand from the new sleeve, she gasped. The skirt had a slit just above her knee, and her face turned pink.

Moana laughed. "It's ahead of its time. Like you."

Elsa beamed. "I love it."

The doors rattled and she felt the trademark chill of Jack. He cleared his throat after a momentary pause. "Our gracious host is ready for you, my lady." As Elsa walked past him, he heard Jack whisper something, to which Aqua responded with both a mutter and a slight flick of water. Elsa felt a chill along her back, and more material seemed to appear from behind. She gathered up some of the soft sheer that had appeared, seeing snowflakes encrusted along a beautiful glimmering cape that had appeared.

"Aqua and I collaborated," Jack tittered.

Aqua made a noise of playful disdain. "Enjoy your evening."

Terra and Elsa said nothing as they met one another at the main atrium. Yet the way they looked at one another were words enough. If they had been dashing or beautiful the night before, then this was perhaps an even better look. They smiled at one another before, arm in arm, they ascended to the upper dining room. The servants had cooked that night, surprising them both. All the stops had been pulled from the polished candelabras to the white roses, in full bloom, sitting in a sparkling crystal vase. They exchanged looks of astonishment before he pulled out a chair for her. She across from him and opposed to the usual caddy corner seating arrangement.

"Don't lie to me, now," Elsa teased, "did you cook this?"

He laughed. "No.'

Elsa joined in his laughter. "I will give them credit. They know how to make a beautiful spread." She started tearing off a hunk of fresh bread, which wafted through the halls. As she passed it on, she asked, "What were some...happier memories of this place?" They were talking so much about the darkness that it had been starting to grow thin. She wanted to change the topic for one full of joy. It could be the final offering she gave him before she disappeared to go warn Anna about the impending threat of dark creatures. Dark creatures that weren't Terra.

Terra thought for a moment. "Back when my father was alive." Merriment shown in his eyes. "Those were good times. He was always there for me. If I needed his advice, if I needed training, or he would teach me to be a good leader like him."

She smiled at his answer. "he taught you well if you've held onto reasoning to keep yourself from hurting people. It takes a good man to raise one."

He looked down. "I'm not a man. Not anymore"

Elsa furrowed her brow. There he went again, beating himself up. His appearance had been twisted by darkness and if he continued to think of himself in that way, he would truly lose sight of himself. He was still a man despite not looking like one. She had seen his determined drive to save his friends, and how selfless he could be in protecting the lower villages.

"You still are. In here." She gestured to his heart.

Her hand just hovered there for a moment. She had been close enough to touch him, but her hand faltered. Yes, she had touched him before, but that had been out of nurturing. She wasn't ready to go beyond simple nursing. Was she? She closed it into a fist slowly and lowered it onto the table by the delicate china, pointedly looking someplace else. Her pale skin was contrasting against his dark fur, her shimmering gown against the rusted battered armor he had doned for the evening.

"You see better in me than I see in myself…"

His words made her heart clench. Even the sad way he had spoken them rung true. Practice what you preach, Elsa. You never saw yourself as anything but a merchant's daughter. Yet here you are dressed like a queen of ice and snow, dining with a king trapped in the body of a beast. One who has called you beautiful over and over. She saw the good in him, as did his friends, and she couldn't even see herself as anything else.

That struck something alight in her. Here she was trying to find complicated answers into breaking the curse. They were under her nose all this time. Sitting in a castle alone was something she herself had done. She had shunned all other company, and as such forced herself into wallowing in self pity. The self pity of losing her father and having no one besides Anna to keep her company. The only way to stop darkness wasn't with darkness. It was with light. The challenge had been discovering a source of light, and now she thought of where it could be. In order to stop to make the light grow, it had to come from one's own heart. Her heart.

And it started by loving herself.

"Once I tell Anna what's going on, we'll figure this out. Together" Elsa promised.

"You're determined to stop the curse, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes. It affects everyone I care about, especially you. You've been a good friend. Better than I could have asked for." Elsa felt her cheeks burning as she confessed it out loud.

"I only want to make sure that Ven, Jack and the others are returned to their human shape."

"Baby steps, Terra. We'll figure something out."

He nodded. "Your determination is... remarkable."

Elsa set down her spoon. "I spent too long being afraid of the world. I guess it's pent up?" She laughed nervously

Terra smiled. "I don't think there's anything wrong with that. The new hope I mean. Not being afraid."

Elsa smiled at him again. The armor he had looked old. She asn't sure what the original metal had been. It was a dulled yellow between gold and bronze. The chest part was a scarlet hue, having grown rusty red with time. The broken gauntlet on his left arm must have come from it. Had been wearing it the day he was cursed? He looked…strangely handsome.

Something glinted off the gold, and at first she thought it was just a trick. She looked overhead at the chandelier glimmering above. No. The light was there, too. She stared out the window and gasped. The clouds were still in the sky, spilling snow on the mountain, but she saw something else. She scooted out of her chair and went to the window. Through the flakes, something shone through in vibrant streaks.

"…The lights…" she breathed in awe.

Terra joined her by the window. He was rendered speechless for a long while. So the mountain really had been a place of darkness. "They never came here…" he said. He had been used to looking out at the stars with his friends. Those had been the only times the night sky had been enchanting. Yet here, as snow fell, the sky was dotted with something beyond stars. He stole a glance over to Elsa. Much like the library, she looked completely overjoyed. He felt his heart beat quicken and an entirely foreign emotion swept through.

He had always been protective. It was no surprise to anyone. But with Elsa, there was something he was unsure he could even put into words. He wanted nothing more than to see the smile on her face for as long as he could. She glowed whenever she smiled, from her crystal blue eyes shimmering to her pale skin becoming alight with color. He had seen her so sad and lonesome, especially her first few days in the castle. Whenever he saw her happy, he wanted to fight off anyone that would dare ruin her happiness.

But was she truly happy? Happy with him? He wanted her to stay with him. But that was completely unfair. He didn't like the idea of keeping her hostage like a prisoner. Yes, she had agreed to stay here on her own terms as opposed to being kidnapped or enslaved, but the choices were so slim. He had been like her, given a similar ultimatum. Sacrifice the means of the close few as opposed to the selfish means. For her, it had gotten her a place where she stayed in possible fear of being killed. For him, it had forced him into a life of shadows. Perhaps that was why he was so drawn to her. She understood his dilemma.

"Elsa…" he offered his hand to her. "would you like a better view?"

She smiled and accepted his offering. Hand in hand, he led her to the twin doors closed off by a thin curtain. These curtains were swept back by the warm and cold breezes of his friends, and the doors were pushed out open for them. From their view on the balcony, they could see everything. The lights flashed through the clouds and specks of snow in a rippling effect of green and purple. The peaks of the mountains, usually darkened by the night, glistened and caught the northern light. The patches of snow changed along with the lights' colors. Even the lights of the village below, although dimmed, added some sparkle.

Elsa caught her breath. Her smile continued to spread as she took it in. Not once did she let him go. One hand reached for the lights, catching snowflakes. A few of the crystallizations changed colors from their lasting points. The slight breeze that blew in didn't even make her flinch. Even with his fur he had felt some chill, yet she looked unphased, just completely happy in the mountains…happy with him.

"It's beautiful…" she whispered.

Terra looked at her, with the snow fluttering around and her face completely alight. "…It is."


	18. Chapter 18: Let Her Go

The lights were dimmed by a cloud cover, which ushered Terra and Elsa back inside. The wind chill was not Jack, not at all. That chill was a blizzard coming in from the north. Even farther north than they already were. As they shut the doors, the wind rattled throughout the crystal. It whistled into a fierce howl that swirled throughout the crystal halls. At first, the snowflakes were soft and gentle, until the downpour began and the flakes became a shower of thick, white curtains.

"Elsa. You're shivering."

She wanted to object, to say that no, she wasn't shivering. She said herself that she had a high tolerance for cold. But she did feel her shoulder develop goose pimples and her body started quaking. She rubbed her arms over the powder blue sleeves, but the chills melted as something was draped over her shoulders. It was Terra's cape. The dark brown hairs of his fur still clung to the golden-ivory velvet. It smelled of freshly dug earth, like what he was named for. He was smirking at her, and she pouted in retaliation.

"I thought the cold never bothered you."

Elsa glared at him. "Go ahead and make fun of me. My cold look can kill."

He held up his hands in surrender, and her cold glare turned into a laugh. He joined in with her. Yet beneath her smile, there was something else. A longing for home. While she was happy with him, she missed her days with Anna. How was Anna doing while she was up here in Terra's company? Was she scared? She had to be scared given that she had been at an angry Terra's mercy. Anna would have liked this side of Terra. She would have liked the elementals, too. But Ven said that only Elsa and Terra heard them. If that wasn't a sign that she was not here by sheer coincidence, she didn't know what else it could have been.

"Are you two okay?" Jack's trademark chill whistled through the halls. "That blizzard was a surprise."

Elsa and Terra looked at one another before laughing again. The jacket had slipped off in her laughter, but Ven's wind picked up and lazily draped it over Terra's large frame. The smiles were continued before there was a clearing of a throat.

"I can see if Aqua and Moana can whip up something warm to drink?" Ven offered.

"Um…maybe you should let me do that," Jack argued. "You should get these two someplace warm. I'll deliver!"

"No way! It gets cold by you touching it!"

Elsa stepped forward. "You both are very sweet. Maybe you should try doing it together? Aqua and Moana can make us whatever they want."

The wind elementals caught their shared breaths. There was silence for a moment. That was broken by the wind whistling through again. Elsa jumped as the window rattled, leaning towards the only other person in the room with her that wasn't a mass of air. She took a breath as she got over the startle. Ven's warm wind patted her before disappearing.

Terra adjusted his cape with a small, nervous laugh. "If you like, we can warm up in the den?"

Elsa nodded with a soft smile.

Sometime later, the noise of the wind was tuned out by the gentle crackling noise of a warm fire. It was almost ironic. This room was the exact same room where they had met before. A room where a partially frozen fearful girl was released when her best friend volunteered to stay with a supposed dark creature. Yet now there was no shadow looming over anyone. They sat side by side, each holding a mug filled to the brim with thick hot chocolate. Elsa had only had a weak-brewed variety that tasted more like water and cocoa powder as opposed to this thickened creamy variation that Aqua declared was her own recipe.

Terra looked long and hard at Elsa. She was silently at him. Her blue eyes were catching the light, and her smile was soft. He was starting to recognize that look. She was showing outward signs of happiness, but deep down she was sad. It cut him. She was trying so hard to be happy for his sake, but something was eating away at her mind.

"What is it?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I was thinking about moments like this. How I used to share them with Anna."

He looked down at the hot chocolate. Not at all with him. What was he expecting? She was only staying because she made a promise. She was too good. He was probably a back memory for her. It was stupid that she'd see him as someone other than some monster of darkness who was nice to her? The windows rattled with the wind, and he had to ask a question that had been gnawing on his mind,

"Do… do you promise you'll come back after you warn Anna? You can bring her back here if she'll let you..."

Elsa set down her chocolate, "Are you serious?"

He gave a shaky sigh. "I don't think I've put myself in her favor. I lost my temper, I realize that now. But now, with this storm, how are you going to get down the mountain? I'm not sure we still have horses and I don't feel right letting you walk the entire way."

"The old tunnel system?" Moana piped up from the hot chocolate.

Terra's eyes lit up. Of course. His father had shown him the tunnels that went from the castle kitchen to the town below, in case a power so evil came to the castle doorstep. A bit too late for that now, since, well, the darkness was starting to make a home in his heart. Or had it been there all along and just now he was coming to grips with it? He had been searching for ways to expel it, but in the wrong places.

He looked again over at Elsa. Perhaps the other reason the darkness had spread was because of selfishness. Elsa was his friend. Perhaps…perhaps even more so than that. He couldn't admit out loud that he liked her. And to confess it when she was going to leave anyways would be worse. He had put enough of a burden on her shoulders. He didn't deserve Elsa's kindness. Yet as much as he didn't want to think he deserved it, Terra was now beginning to realize that he needed it.

"Where is the entrance? " Elsa asked.

"A shelf in the library. Move a book and it reveals the hidden passage," Moana answered

Terra looked at Elsa teasingly. "I'm honestly surprised you haven't found it on accident with the way you're devouring my library. Soon I might not have anything for you to read."

Elsa laced her fingers together with a nervous grin, "Sorry for not picking up by the way…" She was looking at him from her ducked down eyes. Her shyness was too adorable to put into words.

He ran a hand through his mane. "It doesn't bother me. I didn't want to put anything back in case you were still reading."

And the truth was, he probably wouldn't be putting the books back for a long while. Terra wanted to at least make the crystal palace he and his friends called home to look lived in when he passed on. Elsa had read all the books that would have probably rivaled even Aqua's standards. At least knowing some of his stories had been read and hopefully shared made his mind feel some sense of peace. Another gust of wind came from outside, and he regrettably set his hot chocolate down. Elsa had to go. Before the storm grew worse. He stood and made a beeline for the library.

Elsa rushed after Terra as fast as she could. She didn't even bother changing out of the ice gown into something more suited for traveling. He got an idea of why She had to get to the village and talk to Anna. It wouldn't be long. Right?

Terra paused at a bookcase situated close to a stained glass depicting a large orange star. The glass beneath it was etched with small designs. She wondered if Jack ever imitated them in his frost. He looked at the shelves, eventually coming across the spine of a book depicting a similar star shape to the window. But instead if being orange, this star was golden in color, flanked by purple tendrils. The floor shifted close by, and she had to jump back. She saw amusement flicker in his eyes at her reaction. The floor tiles began stacking on top of one another, creating a staircase that was cracked from age but it was stable.

Elsa looked at Terra with a small laugh. "Have you used the passages in...other ways?"

Terra snorted, "Once... Jack and I snuck out and went to the village. We went out to the tavern there."

"Which tavern was this?"

"Seventh Heaven? I think... It was a few years ago."

"Sounds familiar. Someone kept inviting me there. It wasn't Anna."

It was the second time she brought up other people in the village. She had mentioned the storyteller, but there hadn't been much detail brought up about it. There was the flower seller, Aerith. It had been when she talked to him about her that he had recognized her as the beautiful girl he had tried to woo in the past. Apparently now, Aerith was happily married to a former soldier, Zack. To think, Krokus was so close and the people he was protecting were at the foothills of his mountain. Elsa had been on his mountain. Elsa, who had shut herself away for so long and was now with him in this kingdom. He knew Elsa well enough. She didn't look like a bar hopping type.

"Who was that?" he asked.

Elsa hesitated and her eyes darkened. "His name is Hans. He's a stablehand from the south. Anna is drawn to him like flies to honey." She didn't need to say anymore. Elsa was the object of Hans' attention, but she had wanted nothing to do with him. A bit of relief swept through Terra's blood, but he didn't say anything or show it out loud. Elsa didn't love Hans.

"It's a shame he doesn't return Anna's affections," he said after a while.

Elsa nodded, "I know. She deserves someone better."

"Maybe she'll have met someone since you've been gone?"

"I can only hope. She always listened to her heart before listening to her head."

"And there's nothing wrong with that but you have to think things through…" Like getting her out to the town. This was as far as he got with the plan. "The tunnel should open you at the gates of Krokus if it hasn't been remodeled in the last few years."

Elsa stared at the tunnel. The darkness was terrifying, even for him. She rushed to him, and he was taken aback by the expression on her face. She wasn't smiling. Her lips were tightened into a small line. Her eyes looked like they were about to shatter and glittered with unshed tears. Terra let one hand fall onto hers. Another came to touch the end of her platinum blonde braid. The white tips mixed with the dark fur sprouting on him. She was no longer cold, but he hated seeing her look at him like she was.

"Elsa…" Terra began.

"Yes?"

He reached into the folds of his cape. Yes. It was there. Taking her hand, he pressed his gift for her in it. The snowflake was intricately carved from pieces he found in the trellis of roses growing wild in the garden. The green and brown mingled, making a stained effect. He folded her fingers over it, a saddened smile crossing his face.

"If I don't…if the rose died while you're gone, I want you to have this, so you'll remember me."

Elsa looked at the rose snowflake, then to Terra. Her eyes glittered again. She opened her mouth to say something, but her words couldn't form. Instead, she brought a gentle hand to the side of his face. He leaned into her touch. She smelled of fresh snow and rose water. Her lips finally twitched into a smile, and she spoke just above a whisper.

"Thank you, Terra."

Her hand slipped away. At first, Terra thought she would just leave. Instead, she hugged him. He was still for a moment. She hadn't left and was so close. There was no accident or thinking it was an accident that she was so close. He returned the gesture, keeping her as close as he could. Yet he knew, he had to let go so she could get to the tunnels. His vision became warm and glazed, and while he didn't feel the tears fall down, he knew they were.

As she stepped away, looking at him one last time before rushing away, Terra could only stare at the glistening ice cape of her dress as she ran down into the tunnels. She would be on her own from this point on. He had thought that letting her go, just for this brief visit, would be easy. Instead, he found himself caught between a rock and a hard place. The wind rattled the crystal windows again. He was waiting to hear her gasp in nervousness and huddle against him as she had before. No. She was gone. She was leaving his palace. When dawn came, he'd be alone. He looked outside at the snow, falling against the dark blue pallor of night. Elsa would be back safe.

At least he kept one thing that was close to his heart safe.


	19. Chapter 19: The Storyteller

The darkness of the tunnel was almost claustrophobic. Elsa had pressed one hand against the left side of the wall, meeting nothing but cold, solid earth. She took a breath. Earth. Terra. She would return to the crystal palace when she was done. She gave her word, and she refused to dishonor it. Her father had taught that lesson to her, and they were lessons she took to heart. Just talk to Anna, then go back to the palace. That was the plan. She murmured the routine over and over in her head as she walked. The wooden snowflake he carved her was pressed tightly against her chest. She would be back. She had to.

A chill began pulsing through the darkness. That cold wind hadn't been there before. It only meant one thing. She was close to getting out. Krokus would be right there. Along the wind appeared small flurries, about the size of small dust mites. It was snowing outside. Of course it was. It had snowed when she was on the mountain with Terra and the other elementals. She pressed on, holding a hand out into the dark void. If there was some door she had to push or access in order to escape the dark tunnels, her hand would find it first. The dark cold void ended with a slab of wood. The material was warped and splintered from time. The knob was still in tact, albeit rusty, and it was chilled to the touch. Elsa heard a whistling wind, and tried the door. The knob wiggled, but the door was stuck in olace. It wasn't frozen shut, but she heart the creaking of wood.

"The old North tree…" Elsa murmured.

She knew exactly where she was. The North tree had been a huge oak that had grown just outside Seven Heaven. Elsa and Anna usually met by the tree when they were children to play. It was also here that the storyteller was often seen, reciting stories. Elsa's father forbade them from ever coming back to the tree, saying the old man was filling their stories with horrible ideas. The door must have been put there years when Terra's father founded the castle. Years of misuse had left it forgotten. Elsa pressed against the wood again, but a voice over the wind stopped her from ebing so hard.

"Hans!" an elder man was scolding, "is it true that you're agreeing to marry that girl?"

"Anna's been nothing but faithful to me these past few days."

So Anna had gone through with wooing Hans after all. From what she heard, it was paying off. He was finally able to look at the girl and see her for the sweet child she truly was. Elsa didn't know how to feel. Happy? Disappointed in her best friend? It was a varying roller coaster of emotions.

The elder made a noise like a sneezing chipmunk. "But if I recall, you were clearly smitten with the merchant's daughter!"

"Sir Weaselton, Elsa's disappeared who knows here. Anna is her only friend, but rather than tell me where Elsa's run away to, she keeps raving about a beast in the mountains that is holding Elsa prisoner up there."

"And do you believe her?"

Hans' words made Elsa's heart break for her friend.

"No."

"Oh," Sir Weaselton sighed. "For a moment, I thought you'd gone mad!"

Hans' laugh was grim. "She was always the village joke. Her parents go and travel the world, filling her head with fairy tales. She believes the stories and is so content to stay in her little happily ever after. She's so wrapped up in the idea of love that she's too dumb to see the reality in front of her face."

Elsa wiggled the knob again. Another root snapped as she pressed against it, but to no luck. So Hans was just as cruel of a person as she feared. He wasn't in love with Anna. He was only using her to try and find her whereabouts. The more hurtful part was, Anna had been telling the truth, and Hans had been turning a deaf ear. She wished she had he same ounce of darkness or strength Tera had to break down the door and tackle Hans. He was a liar, and a cheat. If Anna got hurt because of him, then so be it. The door started caving the harder she leaned against the wood. But she had to keep her motions discrete. Otherwise, Hans and Sir Weaselton would have been catching on that they were not alone.

"Drinks are on me tonight, Sir Weaselton. We have to make the engagement announcement merry after all."

"You're a good lad. The whole village is coming here. What's a pre wedding celebration without a little merrymaking."

"And my bride is coming up any moment now. She'll be blushing. You know, a part of me feels bad doing this to her."

Engagement announcement? At the Seventh Heaven? Elsa's heart clenched in her chest. Oh no. Oh, this was not what she was planning on walking into at all. Hans was going to break her heart in front of everyone at Krokus. If she knew men and their liquor, Anna's arrival wouldn't be one full of crying and laughing. At least, not the kind of laughter Elsa knew her friend was expecting. Anna would be laughed _at_ , not _with_. Her time with Terra had taught her the difference.

She pushed against the door again. Hans and Sir Weaselton were gone. The tree began to crack once more, and she heard a thud like snow being shaken off. After one last push, the door gave way and she stumbled out into the snow. The warm yellow light of the tavern filtered onto the snow below. The wind was still whipping snow. Elsa rubbed her hands feverishly. As she peaked inside, all she saw were masses upon masses of bodies.

She recognized a few faces in the crowd. The flower seller she greeted every morning with Anna. The raven haired former soldier who sparred on the main field of Krokus. The pretty blonde baker and her silver haired husband. The wide eyed redhead who almost always wore some variation of a pink dress, standing next to her cockily smiling beau, a young boy that was the raven haired man's sparring partner. They all held aloft mugs filled wth some kind of alcohol. The music of a band was playing in one corner and the tuba player;s cheeks were reddening from blowing. Couples were dancing around, smiling at one another as they twirled.

Elsa just braced the wall, waiting for any sign of her friend amid the crowd. Everyone was so cheerful about the event. If Hans did propose to Anna, it seemed like the whole thing had happened just recently. The doors to the tavern opened, and Elsa ducked around the corner out of sight.

The arrival walking out was the storyteller from the village. Elsa recognized his wide blue eyes even up close. He was dressed appropriately for the cold in red and black. The smile on his face was wide…yet forced. She could still see the sadness in his eyes. He was looking ahead, but not at the road or the driving snow. She followed his gaxe, and she thought her heart would break. He was staring at the mountains where she had just come from. The look was incredibly broken. Reaching into the folds of his red coat, he pulled out a small willowbranch slingshot. The twisted wood was beginning to turn ashen with age, and the strap was growing limp.

"Oh, Jack…" the storyteller whispered.

"Excuse me…."

Elsa was done hiding. The storyteller mentioned Jack. Jack was a friend of hers in the castle. The wind that blew snowflakes. He had been good to her. Terra said they were bound by his curse…the storyteller knew the whereabouts of the crystal castle….even after the disappearance of the prince. The old man looked at her with his eyes wide. He stole a look at her, then to the open door in the tree. Then, after staring her down for a moment longer, the sadness in his blue eyes began to disappear, replaced with hope.

"You! You come from North Mountain, yes?"

"I…well…kind of." Elsa looked down shyly. "A friend lives up there…"

The old man gaped at her. "Friend? Does he have white hair like fresh snow and blue eyes like mine? Eyes filled wth wonder?"

Elsa held up a finger. "Um…well…no…but, I do know a Jack in the North Mountains. I can never see him, though. He was always trying to make me laugh."

The storyteller said nothing. He approached her slowly, tucking the slingshot back in his pocket. He scrutinized her to the point that's he thought she had become an ice statue as opposed to a human being. He said nothing, simply humming in thought. He even picked up her ice cape and held it to the light of the tavern. It was here that she saw the cape's material wasn't anything she could find in a shop. The material was made from tightly knit snowflakes, bound together to the edge of her dress. No sooner had he seen the detail that he stared into her eyes. The wonder returned.

"You are merchant's daughter…" he said. "You are Elsa! You are the one the stable hand wanted to marry but could not truly woo! Went for sloppy seconds."

Elsa glared at him. "Anna's my friend! She's not sloppy seconds, and you'd do well not to call her such!"

The storyteller bent down low. The laugh he omitted was jovial and deep. It was the kind of laugh that melted any sort of negativity and cold. Saying nothing except for a laugh, he picked Elsa up. One kiss was pressed warmly against her cheeks on both sides. He set her down gently and carefully, leaving her flabberghasted.

"There is fire within the ice queen," he laughed. "Now, tell old North the truth. Did you stay on the north mountain?"

Elsa nodded "In a crystal palace. Anna was brought into it by the elementals that serve the castle's master."

"And this castle master…if he…"

Elsa held up her hands. "You don't understand. The castle master's not a monster. He was tricked into…"

"…into having his heart plagued with darkness, which changed his true form and nature," the storyteller finished. He gave a small weary smile. "I been telling the same story for years. I know events because my son was part of events!"

"You know Jack? Or rather, Jack is your son?" Elsa asked the storyteller. North, she corrected herself. As she looked at him, memories came back. Memories of sitting under the tree with Anna. Another child had been with them. Yet his hair had been brown, as had his eyes. He was always a jokester, but when her father forbade her to come back to the tree and listen to the stories, she never saw him again. North always braved the town, but he was ridiculed. Now she understood why. Jack had gotten his job at the castle by then, and when the curse was cast, North was only looking for someone to help find his lost son.

"Eraqus will always be my king," North mused. "I was so proud of Jack for signing onto the palace's guard. But when Eraqus was struck down, things changed. The castle was abandoned…Terra was transformed, and my son disappeared."

Elsa didn't know how to comfort the old man. There was no explanation given to her. The elementals had struggled tireslessly trying to help explain what they could. She pressed the wooden snowflake to her heart. Terra was protecting them. He had always been protecting his friends.

"I come to Seventh Heaven, as it was last spot I ever saw him. He was smitten with young Aqua."

Jack…Aqua….their love story. That's right. Terra said Jack and him snuck down using the secret passage. After a while, Ven and Moana joined the guard as childhood friends. The pact was made, then torn asunder by someone. That name remained a mystery, but she associated him with darkness. Darkness that Terra was soaking like a sponge soaked water…all to keep the kingdom safe. The four friends had just been turned into elementals to further punish Terra. Were their voices just the last remaining parts of light? They weren't alive, but they weren't dead. As elementals, they were sort of an in between.

"Jack is safe in the crystal palace…" Elsa chose to say. "Terra is protecting him."

"And your friend's story is true?" North asked, That you agreed to stay in crystal palace despite the darkness?"

Elsa nodded. "I came here to warn Anna about the darkness. Terra is dying…and when he dies, that darkness will spread across the land. She's the only one who will listen to me." Right? Or was this wedding a completely new distraction? Would Anna even care that Terra was going to die like Elsa cared? Anna was the one who picked the rose. Surely she'd have some remorse for her actions being the cause of all of this. She was never a mean spirited person.

"I told Terra I would go back to him," Elsa said boldly. "I'm going to save him, and Jack and Aqua."

North's smile was widening. He took Elsa's dainty hands and pressed them against her heart. Blue eyes locked onto blue. "No one else can save the crystal palace but you, you and your thawed heart."

"I don't have much time," Elsa remarked. "the rose is dying by now." She looked over her shoulder back to the tavern. "I need to tell her."

North gave her one last smile before he trudged away fro the tavern to the warm, cozy venue of Krokus below. Elsa waved after him. All this time, the old man's ramblings and stories were just cries for help. She had answered the call unknowingly. He was right. Her heart, once so filled with ice that was almost impossible to thaw, was now warming. She could no longer hide in the snow or in the dark recesses of her father's mansion. She couldn't tuck herself in the corners of the library, trying to read about the curse and how to break it. What mattered was putting the needs of the others before her. Jack and Aqua. Moana and Ven. Anna….Terra.

Elsa turned back to the tavern. The celebration was becoming wild cheers. She paused to look in the window. Anna and Hans were standing in the center of the bar. Anna was dressed like a princess herself with a green and black ballgown and her hair stylized into a pretty twisted look. It was the first time Elsa ever saw Anna look so beautiful. No. She knew what Hans was going to do. He was going to humiliate Anna in front of everyone. He would say he loved her…and then dash her poor heart into a million pieces by saying he truthfully didn't. Her hands shook. No. Her friend did not deserve this kind of treatment. In the center of the room, Hans tilted Anna's face towards his. Their lips almost brushed…

"STOP!"

Elsa burst through the doors of the tavern. The winter wind blew in behind her, whipping up snowflakes and other flurries. People backed away from the door, gasping and staring at her. Anna and Hans paused mid kiss, looking up at Elsa as she stoof before them, turquoise gown and all.

"Elsa?" Anna whispered.

"No…" someone murmured. "It's an ice princess."

Elsa shook her head. "Wrong. I'm both…but the only ice I have is for this wedding!"


	20. Chapter 20: Truth is Worse Than Fiction

"Elsa!"

Anna raced towards her best friend with watery eyes. She hugged the newly dubbed ice princess tightly. The blonde smiled and returned the favor. Her friend was warm and safe. Safer than she would have been on the mountain. She sighed as they pulled away, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

"I thought I'd never…" Anna gasped. "How'd you escape?"

Elsa shook her head. "I…I didn't escape, Anna."

Anna's jaw nearly fell to the floor. A small exasperated noise came from her throat. Elsa couldn't say she didn't expect that. The gruff scary monster that dragged her inside was what she always associated with Terra, unlike Elsa who had learned the truth. The question was how to break the news to her, and, by extension, everyone else in the tavern.

Hans approached the two young ladies, an arm coming to sling around Elsa's shoulders. "News must travel fast up on that mountain. And look at what you're wearing. Are you trying to upstage my bride?"

A few uncomfortable laughs echoed through the bar, following his chortle. Elsa was only one who didn't laugh. Of course she would look suspicious. Anna was probably telling stories about her being locked in a dungeon drinking cold water and stale bread. In truth, she had been cared for by the elementals…and by Terra. Saying she was friends with supposed creatures would ruin her, her parents had said, that magic must stay secret. Well, if she didn't say anything about it now, it wouldn't be a pleasant secret that came down for them.

"Be honest with us, Elsa," Hans said. "We're all friends here."

Elsa scanned the patrons. "You have a very funny way of showing it. What'd you promise everyone to come and see you and Anna off? Buy everyone a round?"

"She's not wrong!" a drunkard shouted from somewhere.

Hans' hazel eyes widened in astonishment. The grip on Anna's shoulder became slightly firmer. He raised one hand in the air…and snapped his fingers. Elsa stood firm, yet her eyes darted asunder. Did she overstep this time? In hindsight, confronting him at a bar, where people had changes in mood the more they drank, was a stupid idea. But no one came forward to smack her or punch her or throw her out. Instead, someone came forward…with a glass of bubbling blush colored wine.

"Thanks for the reminder, Elsa," Hans said amiably. "I forgot my manners to treat everyone who came to see me and Anna off."

While Elsa accepted the glass, she didn't toast the couple. Nor did she drink from it. She stayed rooted where she was, standing in front of the couple, her face an unreadable mask.

Anna was the first to ask, "What is it, Elsa? You look upset."

Elsa breathed. "I didn't come here to celebrate your marriage. I wanted to warn you about something bad."

Hans clicked his tongue, "Elsa, of all the days to bring up bad news, it had to be on the happiest days of our lives?"

"Sorry for interrupting the nupitials, but I assume you didn't want to spend your honeymoon draped in shadows," Elsa responded coolly, folding her arms.

Anna's aqua eyes widened. Elsa knew she was thinking of her own time in the palace, where she had been scared and alone. How many of those dark creatures swarmed her before the elementals saved her? Or was Terra the only shadowy creature she had encountered? It only proved the point Elsa knew would happen. That Anna was the only one that knew her story was true…in a way.

Hans' laugh was nervous. "Draped in shadows? Did you talk to the storyteller before coming in? We laughed him out of the bar."

Elsa's brows lowered. "I did. But even before I spoke to him, I saw what was on the mountain. When Anna disappeared, I went up to go after her. I found her shivering inside a crystal palace, scared of what was going on."

"A crystal palace?" An older man Elsa knew was Sir Weaselton just from his voice cracked into laughter.

Elsa's hand shook. "It's true. No one's ever seen it from afar because elementals protect it. They use the mountain weather to their advantage. But that hasn't stopped monsters made of darkness slipping in. Look at me!" She gestured to her gown, "do you think I simply bought this in a store?"

The stoic, silver haired baker stepped around, taking a closer look at Elsa. He was careful to not damage the gown as he lifted up one edge of her cape. In the light, the crystals caught and flashed. People gasped at the display, their eyes wide. He stepped back, uttering,

"They're definitely mountain crystals. Rare ones."

"How do you know?" Sir Weaselton asked.

"I worked in the mines before coming to Krokus. A blue like that is rare unless you're further north. It's also cold to the touch."

Elsa smiled to herself. Deep down, she knew the truth. Jack had crafted the cape using his ice magic. Yet as she stared at the fabric, there were some sparkles that didn't look quite like snow. The cut was more jagged and the blue was slightly darker. The same crystal that was used in the ice palace.

Hans' cocky smile faded slightly. If crystals like those were rare, a dress with them sewn directly in would cost a fortune. Elsa had hopped onto Sven the minute he had come back without Anna. She had not gone into the mountains with money. Of course the dress wasn't bought from anywhere in the town. Elsa also had been gone for some time. It was almost coming up on a month. No one survived the cold winters alone. Unless she had help…from a strange source. But he couldn't admit it out loud.

Elsa set the wine down. If she talked any more, the urge to throw it in Hans' face would only get stronger. But the light dimming in his expression was a good sign. He was starting to doubt the naysaying.

"So, you did find Anna in the mountains?"

"Yes. And the crystal palace. They are real."

Sir Weaselton eyed her with skepticism. "But what of the storyteller's other claims? Of a monster trapped in darkness?! If I recall," he pointed accusingly at Anna, "she was making similar stories up! Of how you stayed there with such a thing breathing down your neck!"

Elsa closed her eyes. Of course, the fantasy laced tale would be too far-fetched. The people needed facts. The only fact she had was a shot in the dark, but hopefully it would stick.

"Does anyone in this kingdom remember the reign of Sir Eraqus?"

The entire bar went silent. Some people bowed their heads low. Men started to remove their caps. It wasn't exactly the response she had hoped for, but she was surprised nonetheless. So, the lord was remembered in Krokus. A few people started murmuring, like they had been awakened from a long sleep. They were mumbling stories of people they once knew. Some spoke about patrons that came in bearing a star shaped sigil, which had been the royal crest of Lord Eraqus.

"The sorcerer king…"

Sir Weaselton's comment was laced with fear. He looked at Elsa. Beneath his spectacles, his eyes were growing bigger. The glasses made them all the more comedic. A quaking hand was pointed at her, and the fear became a glare.

"He said he'd bring light to our kingdoms. Yet when he was slain, nothing good came! Our merchants were lost at sea. Of all people, you should not be uttering his cursed name! Your father's ships…where did you hear of him? You were still a child when he was killed!"

Anna held up a hand. "Hold on. Are you saying that the monster living in the castle is Sir Eraqus?"

Sir Weaselton bristled. "I never said anything of the sort! He was lived on by his son and heir, who was struck down as well. And you, young lady, need to stop this spreading of wild stories about monsters of darkness!"

The story of death must have been one the enchanter who cursed Terra spread. It was the only explanation Elsa had for the elder man looking so fearful at just hearing the name of Terra's father. Elsa's fist tightened into a fist. Anna already had Hans ready to make fun of her. She didn't need a crotchety old man like Sir Weaselton chewing her out.

"Leave her alone," Elsa said boldly, standing in front of Anna. "I learned about Eraqus from a friend I made in the mountains. He's been holding back the dark forces you're so afraid of as long as he can. But he's growing weak."

Anna whispered, "You mean…that…"

"Terra's not a monster, Anna!"

Elsa hadn't meant to shout the words out loud. But between the continuous chattering and naysaying, the stress had begun to pile on. As she had shouted it, the windows of the bar blew open from a rogue wind outside. People cried out, backing away. Some immediately rushed to try and close them. But before they did, everyone heard the noise on the wind.

When North told the stories of a monster swarming with darkness and yelling, Elsa always had assumed it was him exaggerating a bear roaring. She had even seen Terra's primal anger up close. But she had no idea that from a distance how chilling it could be. Amid the anger, though, she heard another emotion. Sadness.

As the angry roar and wind settled, everyone looked back to Hans, Anna, and Elsa. The groom was shielding his bride. He righted himself, smoothing his auburn hair and smiling. It made Elsa's blood boil how he could look so polished even after being frightened by a sudden intense show of magic.

Hans' eyes fell on Elsa. "Terra, you say? Have you known him long?" While he spoke casually, she say the green in his hazel eyes.

Elsa didn't look at him. "It was…only a few days. I wasn't lying about the shadows. Terra is keeping them back, but when he dies, they'll come full force into Krokus."

The fear in Anna's eyes added to the question, "And is he…dangerous?"

Elsa shook her head. "No, not to the people he's trying to protect. He can be reckless, but he means well. So much has happened to him, that it would make sense that he's angry. When you get past that, he's sincere and thoughtful and always putting others before himself."

"Elsa," Hans said curtly, "what exactly is making Terra weak?"

"The darkness is putting a toll on him. Both physically and mentally," Elsa answered. "I...I said I'd come back after I told the truth about what's happening on the mountain."

Hans looked long and hard at Elsa. So, if Sir Weaselton's mistrust was well placed, it meant that Anna was telling the truth. That there was, in fact, a monster in a crystal palace up north. The miner had pointed out the crystals on Elsa's dress. Come to think of it, the odd noise on the wind did sound animalistic. It resounded when she said his name.

Terra; Earth. Like crystals…from someone who lived on the mountain for a long time.

The monster Anna spoke fearfully of and this Terra whom Elsa was speaking so fondly of were the same person.

A dark cloud passed over Hans' face. He had come here from the south to try and marry into a family of riches. He had spent his life as part of a matched set, growing up with brothers that looked exactly like him. If he married someone with money, it would put him high above them. Elsa, as a merchant's daughter, had been perfect. Not only was she rich, but she was beautiful. Yet, in hindsight, he hadn't gotten anywhere close to winning her affections; no one was. Yet a monster made from shadows was making her sing praises? No. Someone like her didn't belong with someone so dark. For all Hans knew, Terra was the source of the darkness Elsa said she came to warn them about.

Wait…a crystal palace. That was worth far more than a merchant's pay. Terra lived in a crystal palace. Heroes always got rewarded with whatever they wanted. He could find the palace, kill Terra, and inherit the palace for himself. Who needed marriage when that was in the picture. He didn't want Anna, and he was now seeing Elsa wanted nothing to do with him. It was practically gift wrapped for him.

"So you're working with someone that has magic on their side?" Hans asked.

Elsa looked at the crowd with mistrust. Finally, with a movement so slow, she nodded.

"You confess!"

Sir Weaselton was glowering at Elsa now. "You're conspiring with a wicked sorcerer! He has taught you dark magic and now thanks to you, there is a looming threat!"

Elsa's eyes were wide. "No, it's not like that!"

Hans' looked at Anna with a pained expression. "Did you know?"

"Hans, what are you…talking about?" Anna asked.

He pushed her aside, strolling into the center. "Pour me a drink," he murmured to the barkeep. He raised the glass. "I can't marry someone who knows dark magic. And I can't marry anyone who would associate with such a person." He looked up. "With that said, I'm ending my engagement to Anna. And I accuse her and Elsa of dark magic."

And that was how Hans had both women imprisoned. And how he was walking to get his fastest and strongest horse ready to ascend the mountain.


	21. Chapter 21: What Love Is

Terra looked over to the rose. It used to be flourishing, reviving itself whenever he was happy. Instead, all he felt was an emptiness he couldn't fathom. She had said just a few hours. Hours had ticked down to days.

After he had closed the hidden passageway, he had sat by the fireplace the way a dog would wait for an owner to come home in. When she came back in, he could tell her what he wanted to say. Elsa had made his life less empty in the mornings. Even at night, when the elementals would appear, thoughts of her being just down the stairs had made him feel weightless and invincible. He could destroy any obstacle, just by thinking of her being there. Elsa was like no other motivator for him like it had been in the past. It was as if the loyalty to his friends and the pride and admiration for his father mashed together.

Three hours later and she still hadn't shown up. Terra had to keep himself occupied by pacing back and forth. After pacing on two feet, something he had started growing accustomed to, begun to wear, he was back to pacing on all fours. But after the forepaw met a stray pebble, he had to shake it free and return to an upright stance.

An hour and a half later and he left the library. Elsa knew the way back. She had to know by now. He had showed her the tunnel. When she exited, she saw where the hidden passage was. Maybe she got tired and wanted to rest up before returning to him. He'd see her then.

As he tossed aside the evening attire, the subtle rose water from her perfume, which must have rubbed off, wafted through his nose. Terra would always associate the smell, and the flower itself, with Elsa. She was beautiful yet could be barbed with bristles. Trim the thorns away, and the flower could still be powerful in just its gentleness. Even in the harshest mountain climate, she still remained beautiful and undeterred. Maybe that was why he let her go. She was as delicate as the rose.

He looked at the purple rose and his heart just about split. The flower was complete bent over. The petals were heavy and wrinkled. The lavender petals were now gray and the purple tips were brown. The green stem looked healthy, but small streaks of brown were starting to seep through.

He groaned and flopped down on his bedding. He kept his eyes focused on the flower and the window before him. The night sky became alight. The sun, hidden behind thick gray clouds, passed through. Terra didn't eat anything that day. Why should he? The rose was dying, and he with it.

Elsa wasn't coming back. Why should that matter anymore? She was too kind, too good. Or was that all a façade from the beginning? She said herself she was cold-hearted. Terra huffed as he turned over to the brown coat he had worn that night. The rose water smell was still there. Along with it was a long hair. The color was somewhere between white and yellow, glistening bright against the tiniest traces of light in the dark room.

"What made you let her go in the first place?" Aqua was speaking from the vase where the dying rose lay.

Terra slumped against his forearms, staring out the window again. "I would have done the same for any of you…"

"It's not just that. You said you liked her. What you did goes beyond simply liking someone. You did so much for her without asking…"

"What's your point?" Terra snarled.

"You love her."

Terra looked at the empty water vase. Then down at the blonde hair. That was it. He let Elsa go because keeping her here when Anna was more important would have been selfish. Because her happiness was the thing that made her beautiful. Had she stayed, she wouldn't have been happy. Or at least, not happy because she stayed to fulfill a debt.

But, she chose to stay. She chose to spend her time with him. When she was with him, the light was still in her eyes. It had nothing to do with repaying a debt. The way she comforted him when he was injured had been a blessing. When she had held him despite him being unable to hold her without getting her hurt. Those simple acts of kindness without even questioning it. It had driven him to protect her, because…

"…you're right. I love her, and I did what was best for her. She's with her friend like she wanted."

For all Terra knew, they could be boarding a ship out of Krokus. Far away from the village where she was ridiculed. Far away from the darkness. Her light would be protected, then. He'd die along with the rose, leaving behind an untamable creature, the crystal palace would be taken by the shadows that were swallowing the walls back into the mountain, and the darkness would conquer light, just like the enchanter prophesized.

Elsa stared out the small slitted window of the cell she and Anna had been thrown into. She only said a few hours. But instead, all her warning had gotten her was time locked in a cold, damp room. None of the rooms in the crystal palace were this bleak. This place, too, was carved from stone, but it was lifeless. The village was coated in snow, resting against the mountainside with only a small amount of lanterns lit.

"I'm so sorry, Terra," she whispered to herself.

Anna was shivering on the floor next to her. "I…I should have listened to you about Hans."

Elsa shook her head. "It was never love. He was going to humiliate you. I overheard him and Sir Weaselton talking."

Anna tugged the thick gray blanket, which she had been hugging ever since their imprisonment, tighter. "And you said that the mo…Terra," she corrected herself, "is dying because I picked the rose." As Elsa nodded, the ginger moaned feebly. "I didn't mean any of this. I just wanted to be a good friend."

"None of this is your fault, Anna," Elsa said. "You didn't know the roses were tied to a curse. I didn't think the story was real until I rode Sven up to find you."

Anna looked at the door before laughing glumly. "It's funny. I spent so many years hoping one day, if I were ever trapped, that a dashing prince would save me. Now, I'm in this room, still desperate for love."

Elsa sighed. "Anna, you'll find the fairy tale kind of love you've always read about in the books one day. Hans was…ideal, yes, but be honest; did you really want to be married to a stableman for the rest of your life?"

Anna shook her head. "Sweeping up manure for weeks? No thank you."

The two women shared a weak, short lived laugh for a while. They fell silent afterwards. Anna counted the cracks on the floor with her eyes. Elsa stared at the mountain, knowing up there, the rose was dying, and with it, Terra. She wouldn't be able to go back. Come sunrise, she and Anna would be either sent off on a ship to be executed for witchcraft, or burned in the square publicly, or whatever horrible crime would be committed. The people wouldn't see the happiness Anna spread, or the intelligence Elsa spread, passed onto her by her father. They'd only see the bad…the…darkness.

Elsa's eyes widened as she looked back to the mountain. The darkness Terra was afraid of hadn't just been a looming threat. Whoever cursed him had taken all the negativity that was in the castle…the mourning for his father, the anguish and guilt that came with it, the self loathing that had been reborn alongside the curse…and warped it into a monstrous form. Terra would die, and a shadow would be left in his place. That darkness had only been driven back during her stay. The times when he was laughing with her, when he made fun of himself, and when he did kind gestures.

She looked down at her gown. The turquoise material was coated in muck, but it still retained a sparkle. All this time, the light that pushed the darkness away, was coming from her being there. She, too, had been locked in darkness, but her light had been in Anna. Terra had his friends, but they only came out at night. When she was there, that light had grown. It gave him something to push the darkness back farther. She was _his_ light.

"All this because I thought I loved Hans…" Anna was murmuring.

"Anna, there are many people who love you. I'm one of them," Elsa said. "Anyone who doesn't is missing out."

Anna gave a sad shrug, "I love you, too, but that's in a sisterly way."

Elsa frowned. Anna was throwing a pity party at this point.

"But…"

Anna lifted her head, and looked at her. "The dream of finding love isn't gone. I keep telling myself it's all pretend, it's all something out of a book. But then I started thinking about how you talked about Terra in the bar. You weren't even drinking, so don't pull the 'I had wine' excuse. Just because I couldn't find love doesn't mean you should let your chance slip by."

Elsa blinked. "What are you talking about?"

Anna adjusted the blanket again. "Well, when you love someone, you put everyone else first. You put me first when you crashed my engagement party knowing Hans was going to embarrass me. I thought about you when I was looking for that rose. Terra letting you go, that's a good example, too."

Elsa's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Terra…loves me?"

Anna gaped in return. "He could have kept you imprisoned forever, but he didn't. He let you go so you could find me."

"I chose to stay. He technically didn't imprison me."

"My point is he could have," Anna interjected, "but he didn't. He…protected you. I think in a grumpy way he was protecting me from the weather and the dark monsters that were worse than him."

Elsa brought her hand, bound by the wrists, to the snowflake he had given her. He had been kind to her. There had been rough patches, but he never tried to hurt her. Not once. He knew he could be dangerous, and when he had shown that dangerous side had been ashamed of it. He told her his deepest secrets like his fear of geese. He had manners, after much needed prompting to remember them, and tried so hard to please her because he knew it would make her happy. Her fear of Terra had become friendship.

Anna was smirking knowingly at her. Elsa's cheeks felt hot. Was she blushing and didn't realize it? Here she was remembering the few times Terra had shown her kindness in the smallest ways. He was genuine with his offerings of clumsily cut flowers. He had eyes the color of a cloudless sky. He spoke gently to her, only raising his voice against anyone that would try to hurt his friends.

"He was a really good listener…" she murmured, remembering her most precious time with him had been the times in the library and she read her favorite childhood story to him, of the friends who broke the spell of the Snow Queen with true love. He had been sitting next to her, his blue eyes lost in her voice spelling out the tale, their hands overlapped.

" _Can you read it again, Elsa?_ " Terra had asked.

Elsa's heart clenched. Terra loved her. What kind of person left them alone without any explanation? She was an awful person. But she had to set it right. The rose was dying, and if Terra died, she'd lose him. She had to get out this cell, back up the mountain, and back to Terra, so he could see her again before he died.

She and Anna were charged with treason and witchcraft, and sentenced to death. No. She refused to die. She began tugging at the chains on her shackles. The metal buckled. If she pulled hard enough…

Footsteps echoed outside. The guards were coming for her and Anna. No, no, not now! Anna was standing from her sitting position, alerted by the guards. The latch on their cell clicked. As Elsa continued to struggle with the locks, she kept her thoughts on the crystal palace. The nights of staring at the stars with the elementals and Terra. The picnic shared that one day despite the snow. The night he had made French toast for her…

The guards grunted in pain. Elsa snapped out of her memories to hear Anna, say, "Thank you," in a singsong voice. The door had been slammed into the guards faces. Anna's foot had been the culprit. In her hands, she held the keys. She tried several on her own shackles, succeeding after ten of them didn't work. As she unlocked Elsa's chains, they exchanged solemn expressions. The true monsters lay in the guise of well dressed men, plotting to hurt girls for their own amusement. Anna had to get out of here, too, or else Hans would catch her. Walking out the door wasn't an option.

"Stand back," Anna said, bundling the blanket around her fist.

"Wait, what..?"

Anna punched through the glass on the window several times. The crack widened with each blow. After a few dents, the glass completely exploded. Anna stepped out first, sweeping aside any extra pieces of glass before hopping out the window.

"Come on, Elsa,"

The blonde scuttled after her. They held hands and made a mad break for the mountain trail. They avoided the main parts of town, skirting through dirty, dark backstreets. Elsa told Anna to take her back to the Seventh Heaven, where she knew the secret passage to Terra's castle was. The sun was just setting, covering the world in a thick cloud cover and the wind began to howl.

"Anna, go home and lock the door," Elsa told her. "I'll be safe."

Anna smiled. "Go tell Terra you love him."


	22. Chapter 22: Colder by the Minute

The storm raged on outside. The wind was clear, but cold. It grew less clear with the ferocious flurries. This was the last snow of winter, but in the mountains, that winter would last for eternity. Terra would happily die in this cold. He had left the windows open, allowing the white wind to blow over him as he lay blanketed by his crippling depression. His crystal palace would be confused for walls of ice.

"Hello, Terra."

Slowly, he turned. He didn't know this stranger. The man wore a heavy gray coat, and had coiffed red hair. A sword was being held in one hand. The man was smirking

"I understand you don't know who I am. Well, we both know someone very special."

Elsa.

Terra made no efforts to try and stand. His muscles were too sore. His mind was completely numb. If he tried to move now, he'd only feel nauseous. The rose was at the end of its life. He hadn't even bothered changing the water, leaving it steeping in a light yellow water that resembled tea. He looked at it, and the stranger followed his gaze to it.

"Did she give you that? Or you were planning on giving it to her yourself?

The man's smile was anything but pleasant. The gloved hand not holding onto the sword gave the small glass bowl a flick. It teetered, spilling of the water onto the table. The voices of Aqua and Moana crying out in annoyance were growing dimmer. Yet he still thought of them yelling. Terra didn't move, but the fur along his back bristled. The slow, quiet growl rumbled from his chest, directed at him.

"You know, I didn't stand a chance making a living like you did, in this nice estate," the man said simply, like he was just having a conversation. "It's why I left the south. My brothers were making bank as merchants or soldiers. I don't even get a fraction of earnings whenever the horses I look after win the big leagues. Not like you would know. You probably ate them."

Terra growled again. Yet, like before, he didn't move. That was only a petty insult based on his appearance. He had heard worse. Yet this man mentioned knowing Elsa. Was this…Hans?

"Tell me something, if you can talk. Did you promise this estate to anyone?"

A breeze ruffled around Terra, smoothing his fur. Ven and Jack were becoming quieter as well, but he felt their presence just like he felt Aqua and Moana in the water. No, no, don't listen to him. He's goading you, they seemed to be nagging. Hans laughed, shaking his head in mock disappointment. The breeze didn't even seem to be phasing him, and Terra knew the two wind elementals were directing their energy onto him.

"Kind of sad. You promised to give her everything…when she already chose me."

Terra was finally able to say something. "Where's Elsa?"

Hans' eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, so you _can_ talk! Elsa's in Krokus. She came back from the mountain practically sick with the cold. Her blue dress was so thin, I'm surprised she didn't catch anything else. I took her in, gave her some blankets and hot soup. Of course, this was after our elopement." He peeled off his glove. On one finger glittered a simple gold band. "So now, I'm here. To keep you out of the darkest part of her nightmares."

Terra didn't know what broke first. Whatever light he had left or his will to live. All this time, Elsa hadn't felt for him the way he had. There was, deep down, the hope that perhaps she had. Elsa had been the first to not see him as something to be feared. She had heard the voices of his friends. The growl he was ushering became a heavy grunt of defeat as he slumped down. His hands, no, paws, were quivering as he reached for the glass bowl. Just one last scent before he died. At least he could picture Elsa, even if she never loved him. He loved her, and he let her go. The glass bowl was knocked to the ground by Hans. The shattering noise was the loudest thing he had heard. The rose made a small crunch as it fell. The stablehand was about to crush the flower into deeper pulverizing, when something stayed his foot.

Ice was crawling from the water that once held the flower. Hans foot was frozen in place in a few minutes. The water traveled in a tendril up the other boot. That, too, became frozen. Hans was trapped by the elementals he was dumb enough to anger. They were working together to keep the rose safe. To keep Terra safe. Hans tried to move. He was able to go a few inches before breaking free from the ice. He stalked back to Terra, sword in hand. The blade was drawing closer to Terra, about to sever neck from spine…

"No!"

Like a falling star, Elsa had rushed in front of Terra. Her hand was outstretched, dangerously close to the blade. Terra wanted to tell her to go. She was in danger. Yet he couldn't. Elsa had come back. And on her hand…there was no matching ring. She still wore her blue dress which was shimmering with light despite the castle dimming. From her outstretched hand came another frosted attack from the combined efforts of the elementals, yet from where he stood, he swore it came from Elsa herself. The blade frosted and shattered, and the wind pushed Hans back, forcing him into a staggering position.

Terra gaped at her. "Elsa…"

"Terra!"

Elsa turned back around. She just held him, kneeling by his side. He basked in her arms. The blanket of sorrow was gone, replaced with relief that she was safe and joy that she had come back. He stroked her braid and inhaled. Rose water. She was here. She was holding him, she had protected him like he had done for her.

"You're here…"

"I know I said a few hours. I broke my promise…I didn't mean to."

Terra tilted her face up to his. Her eyes were alight despite being glazed over by unshed tears. It was perhaps the most beautiful he had seen her in a long time. He could tell her now. The rose was almost dead, but he could make the last few hours or minutes with her here count.

Before he could, a hand fell on Elsa's shoulders. Hans was gently holding her other hand, pulling her up so they were standing facing each other. The stablehand cradled her chin, the thumb hovering dangerously over her lips. Terra's claws started to dig into the fabric.

"Oh, Elsa. I know you think comforting this creature will save him, but trust me, things will be different."

Hans leaned forward and kissed Elsa. Her whole body tensed. She was held plush against him. He had her close, pressing his lips firm. Terra could hear his own breath rising and falling as he stood. No. Elsa didn't love Hans. It was written all over her face. He was about to lose his friends, but he wouldn't lose Elsa. She would be safe, if this was the last act he did with a sane mind. But maybe she didn't need saving. Before Terra could even pounce and gouge out Hans' eyes like he wanted to, Elsa had initated her escape by biting Hans' lip and wrestling herself free. Her wannabe lover released her and raised a hand to strike her cheek.

If Terra had been angry before, now he was feeling an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time. Absolute hatred. The rushing blood in his veins, the tightening of every muscle to lunge into an attack, and even the desire to strike down the very threat in front of him. He had only felt this way when his quarry had been the shadow monsters. Now, this was a different matter. This man had hurt the woman he loved. Intentionally. Hans would pay for what he did.

Terra leapt towards Hans, who dodged the first initial charge. His claws were out, as her his bared teeth. Every swipe that successfully landed a hit pushed Hans further back. Yet, Hans was no mere pushover. The blade may have been split from Elsa's intervention, but it still had an arguably sharper and more dangerous edge now. The metal bit into Terra several times. The two of them swatted and wrestled across the crystal floor. They were grazed and sliced by their respective weapons. Terra went for another swipe, but in the process, he had missed and they both tumbled through a window that had been broken by the failed paw.

The two of them fell onto the balcony that was by the dining room. Terra landed hard on his side. The throbbing in his shoulder pounded. Hans had managed to grab the side of the railing. The sword fell into the canyon by the mountainside. The red haired man started to pull himself over the railing, but two massive paws gripped him by the throat. He was staring into the raging blue eyes of Terra, complete with the angry snarl. The cold wind howled all around. One drop and this would all be over.

"Terra, stop!" Elsa pushed open the double doors. "Not like this. Not with darkness."

Her voice snapped Terra out of whatever rage he felt. The word 'darkness' shook him. She was right. As much as he wanted to drop Hans off the balcony, he couldn't do it without going down that path. It would only cement the darkness further, and the enchanter would have won. His father wouldn't have wanted it, but more importantly, neither would his friends…or Elsa. His grip relaxed on Hans' neck. He glanced back to the other man, who was now staring up at him with fear in his hazel eyes.

Terra snarled quietly to Hans. "Don't. Ever. Come back here."

He set him aside, looking at Elsa. She was still radiating, glowing even. The darkness in the castle was retreating from where she stood. The last bit of rage died as he looked at her, Her arms were outstretched to him, beckoning him. To her light. His light. Or was it that he had the light all along. It was by sharing his darkness with her that both of their lights were shining. He approached her, slowly, aching from his fight. Terra clung to her gently. She was stroking his fur, careful to avoid where he had been hit. He brought a hand to touch her face, and she leaned against his touch, sighing in tearful relief.

He had done it. Elsa was safe. Aqua, Jack, Ven, Moana, all of them were safe. He was starting to grow weary, sinking as Elsa still held him. She sank down to the ground next to him.

"Terra?"

"It's okay, Elsa…"

"How can you be sure? You almost…had you let the darkness in, you would have gone feral…"

"I chose not to let it consume me. It would have hurt my friends. It would have…hurt you."

Elsa looked at him, still stroking him. Even when she was on the brink of tears, she was still glowing. She said nothing. Every little brush of her fingers was heavenly. How long had he waited for her? He wasn't aware of the passage of time. He knew the cold creeping through the air didn't come from Jack or Aqua or any of the other elementals. He was losing any sort of feeling. No, no, just one more touch. If he was going to die, he wanted to remember his castle filled with light. Everything was starting to grow blurry.

Elsa's braid brushed against his face. She was pulling him close, and he felt a small, warm press on the top of his head. She was kissing him. Terra inhaled, soaking it in. Elsa had called herself an ice princess for so long, she had no idea that she had the warmest heart and the warmest touch he had known. He had the smallest bit of hope that she felt something for him beyond friendship. If a kiss wasn't proof enough, then he would die not knowing love.

"I promised I would set things right," Elsa whispered, "instead, I only made them worse."

"No."

The darkness had been a life he had chosen for a while. He had been frozen in that life. When she found him, she had kept from falling back into the shadows of the mountains. She had given him a way back to his old life.

"I let you go once, and I was stupid. You came back…for me. You stayed with me until the rose died, just like you promised…"

"But…Terra…no…"

"Thank you…for being my light…"

With an exhale, Terra let the darkness take him for the last time.


	23. Chapter 23: Light and Love

Elsa stared down at his unconscious face. Had he been breathing, he would have just been asleep in her arms. But the warmth was starting to fade from his slack limbs. She cupped her fingers to graze his soft cheek. "Terra….No...no…please, please…."

She held his face in her hands, silently willing for him to come back. The only person breathing was her. He was dead…dying…because of her. The light he had been looking for had been completely snuffed out. The rose, lying in a puddle and broken glass, started crisping like it had been left in the sun. A tear leaked from the corner of her eye, its warmth trailing down her cheeks. She held him flush against her chest and she sobbed openly.

"I love you."

As she said it, the sun rose over the mountain peaks. The sky turned a pale lavender hue tinted with pink. The coloration was uncannily similar to the rose that brought her here in the first place.

But dawn wasn't the only surprise light she received. Something radiated in Terra's chest. Elsa nearly dropped him, staring. The aura pulsed with varying colors. The rings of green and purple beat in a rhythm. As they did, they began bending, forming a heart shape. The colored rings grew faster. Small sparks, like stars, joined that rhythm. They began to cluster until Terra's entirely body was flooded with light. Elsa had to shield her eyes, one hand still holding onto him. His whole body was shaking, and he grew warm beneath her touch where he was once started to turn cold from lack of life. As his body arched back, she had to gently set him down, backpedaling away, protecting her vision with the crook of her elbow.

Through the light, she saw something like black smoke rising through the air. It was collecting the remaining shadows in the room like a magnet. The dead rose was sucked along with it. As it was swept up, a change occurred as they hit the light. The papery petals started to revive, the tint of color returning. The perfume of roses swept through the air, the petals being blown around the light-soaked Terra before being blown out of the door.

The light dissolved along with the dispersing of the darkness, leaving behind a kneeling figure covered in several lavender rose petals. He was facing away from her, staring down at his hands. The figure had dark brown hair like Terra's fur. It fell in a messy shag up to his neck. He was incredibly well-built, perhaps a bit slimmer than what he could have been, but it was clear he had been a strong man once. As he stood, it was clear he was easily taller than her.

"Terra?"

This had to be him. The him that he was before the shadows had trapped him and turned him into a monster. Or had tried to turn him into one.

As she had called his name timidly, the man turned to face her. She thought from a distance he had been handsome, but when he approached and she saw his human face for the first time, she thought her heart stopped. He had chiseled features, like the crystal the castle had been built on. He had blue eyes, darker than the crystal palace. Yes, he had brown hair and blue eyes, but that still didn't mean he was Terra. As he drew closer, she shrank back.

"Elsa…."

It was his voice. Terra's voice. This man had once been trapped in a darkness infused form as he had told her. The blonde relaxed her stance, staring up at him. Their eyes met, and she saw something shining in them that no crystal could buy. Terra pulled her close. He was hugging her tightly and quietly sighing in relief. Elsa brought her arms around him. The earthy scent of the mountain was still present, with just the slightest hint of rose.

"Thank you," he breathed.

He had been through hell and back. He had thought he was going to die with the last rose. The exact opposite happened. He had been given life, because of Elsa recovering his lost light. The light he had been seeking hadn't been any physical source like he had assumed it had been. That light had been the determination of someone pushing him to keep back the darker tendencies. The light that drove him to make him a better person. The one that saw the light within his deepest darkness. Elsa had been holding that light all along, and had never wavered in holding it out to him. It had almost been clouded by her own darkness, her insecurities and burdens placed on her, but it never went out, not when she had people fueling it. It had taken the plucking on an enchanted rose for her to come into his life and vice versa. Together, they created that powerful light.

As they pulled away from one another, someone groaned in agony. Terra pulled Elsa closer, glaring at Hans, who was looking around dazedly. The redhead's eyes widened in shock.

"Elsa? But…how did.."

"Last I checked, you were told to leave," Elsa responded coolly.

"Can I escort him out, Elsa?"

The doors behind them were opened, but this time there was no wind announcing Jack's arrival. He appeared as he always had been before Xehanort's curse. He was a young man with white hair and blue eyes. He could have been related to Elsa for all she knew. His brown cape, dusted with a fabric resembling ice, billowed behind him as he approached the confused Hans.

Jack's lip gave a slight twitch, but there was a subtle threat underlying the smile. "Rumor has it you gave my dad a hard time. I don't like that kind of treatment, not to my family and especially not to my friends," he nodded to Terra and Elsa. Hans was about to object but a pale fist was pressed firmly into his face, accompanied by a cold wind that sent the hunter's coat askew.

"Now hold on, Jack," the motherly voice of Aqua scolded. Her blue hair, cut short for combat purposes, was the same hade as her eyes. She may not have been water now, but the power she had as an elemental still shimmered. Even the glint of the long, aquamarine colored sash tied around her silver and blue armor betrayed how dangerous she could be when crossed. She stopped the ice fighter with a simple press on his arm, holding up a finger. Aqua had no words. Instead, her hand, encased in a watery glove, smacked him.

"I've been waiting a while to do that," she smirked.

Elsa blinked. Jack and Aqua…they were human, right in front of her. And it seemed they weren't just colleagues. Jack winked to the blue haired knight, who blushed a deep red, complementing her cooler color palatte. They were facing each other, twining their hands together and smiling. Jack said something about finally being able to see her blush, to which Aqua ducked her eyes down shyly. Elsa imagined this was how Jack wooed Aqua at the Seventh Heaven.

The doors opened again, and Elsa had a hard time believing the two newcomers were even knights. Squires, maybe, but not knights. Ven and Moana both looked about sixteen or so. The former air elemental was a sprite of a boy, completely with unkempt ashen blonde hair and blue eyes like a cloudless sky. Moana was darker skinned, and the only sign she had been part of the water was the way her dark hair rippled down her back. They were facing Hans, and instead of beating him up, they grabbed him by the arms and dragged him back to the doors.

"We'll take him down to the main entrance," Moana reported. "Maybe when the sun gets higher, we'll give him a proper escort to Krokus."

Ven smirked. "Wonder how everyone will react hearing you tried to kill the prince?"

Hans blinked. "What?"

Terra left Elsa for a brief moment. "A bit of a surprise, isn't it? You stand before the son of Lord Eraqus. He passed the mantle of ruler of these mountains when he passed away years ago."

"So…so it's…"

Elsa nodded, coming next to Hans. "It's true."

Hans imitated a fish for the briefest moments. "But…but what about the…"

"A curse cast on me for angering an enchanter," Terra said casually. As he continued, the laid backness became much more serious. "In a way he was right. I was letting the darkness of anger and fear for being thrust into the role control me. I kept it back, but by keeping it inside, it only was turning me into the monster I always feared I would become." He waved his hand dismissively. "You two do what you like with him…but don't kill him or hurt him."

The younger fighters nodded. Hans was dragged by wind to keep up, and his wrists were bound by a small water whip. As he rounded the bend, Ela felt a sense of relief push away all tension she had felt prior. Hans would never bother her again. He could never hurt anyone again. She was free.

She walked out to the balcony, staring down into the garden. Whatever shadows were still lingering were disappearing. The spikes and brambles that kept visitor at bay crumbled into dust, revealing a path that had been covered for years, leading directly back to Krokus and other towns beyond the mountain. The sun was now higher in the sky, hitting the crystal foundation. In the light, it no longer just appeared blue. Other colors were projecting from the cut stone. Green, purple, and even an off white were gleaming along the walls. Awed, Elsa placed a hand on the closest wall. Through the filtering crystal, she swore she saw them again. The northern lights.

"Are they gone?" Elsa asked quietly.

Terra stepped next to her, cradling her hand in his. "The shadow monsters? Yes. Every other part is gone too."

She looked at him. "All this because you upset a dark magician."

"I think it was more than that. I was scared and angry for what I had been thrown into. That's the root of dark emotions, isn't it? Feelings of fear and hatred? My father had always warned me tat holding onto them was bad. He was right. I was letting my darkness and fear get the better of me, but then you came," he tilted her face up to his, "and you helped me find my way back."

Elsa blushed. "I was only…following through on a business proposal."

He laughed richly, "Always such a rule follower. I think it's safe to say you did what you promised…and maybe a bit more."

Elsa looked at Terra's human face again. It was still strange adjusting to this recent change. He was different in a physical sense, yet his wit and the way he looked at her like she was the most beautiful person in the world was still the same. Had he always looked at her that way? She tried to recall moments where he did. The only one she could recall was the night before she left, and they saw the northern lights hit the night sky.

Terra had nothing else he could say. But he have one thing left to express it. He leaned down and kissed her. Her lips were soft and warm. She wasn't an ice queen. As she kissed him back, he knew she felt the same as he did. He released the kiss, but he still held her.

"I love you, Elsa," he murmured.

"I love you, Terra."

She kissed him again. Beast or man, he was still Terra. That was all it mattered. All of this had been like the stories Anna adored. A dream she never thought would ever come true for her. The best art had been that, through it all, she had saved the people she had grown to love. Not just Anna. She had loved him for his kindness and his drive to protect his friends. They would never be bothered by darkness and fear again.

They walked down the stairs, hand in hand. The morning sun was glinting on the snow. Some patches were staring to melt away, revealing plush green grass. The former elementals stood by a bound Hans. Elsa understood why Terra was so fond o them. They were all different in personality, but they were loyal to an extreme. A family not by blood but by shared devotion. By learning to love Terra, she knew they had accepted her into this fold.

"Is everyone all right?" Elsa asked quietly.

"We are," Aqua answered with a solemn nod.

"There's….so much we have to tell you." Ven stammered nervously.

"Then start at the beginning," Elsa prompted.

The warmth of spring had been the perfect day for the marriage of Elsa and Terra. A year had passed since the curse had been lifted. The fear and cold had been gone. The crystal palace was gleaming with light. The fresh cut flowers perfumed the air. The pruned gardens were filled with life where once, there had been none.

Elsa smiled down at the diamond on her finger as Terra slid it on. A snowflake. Beneath the fractalized shape was a small aura. Instead of a huge floral bouquet, she had sufficed for carrying a single lavender rose. Around her neck, by a simple chain, hung the wooden snowflake Terra had carved for her. Literally with his own hands.

The villagers cheered as they kissed, but four voices rang louder. Five if you counted Anna. It was amazing how the knights could still make the wind and water be magic. The fountains bubbling nearby were whipped by a gentle breeze. The light spray was cool and refreshing. She was picked up and spun by her prince, making her laugh loud and clear. Light and love gleamed in his blue eyes, and she knew he was seeing the same expression in her eyes.

The kingdom had been jubilant through the entire reception. Drinks from Seventh Heaven were provided, now toasting a happy union made of truth. Couples that had been separated by wind and water reunited through dancing and mingling, showing Elsa how much they loved each other. When the sun set, the northern lights set the sky ablaze with color.

THE END


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